NORFOLK COUNTY.

THIS County was incorporated in 1793, previous to which time it formed a part of Suffolk county. This name was formerly applied to a county composed of the towns in this state north of the Merrimac, with others in New Hampshire. After the separation of the states by a line three miles north of the Merrimac, the towns in this state were annexed to the county of Essex. The principal streams are Charles and Neponset rivers, with their branches. Much of the surface of Norfolk is broken and uneven, but no part can be considered mountainous. The ridges called the Blue Hills are the most noted elevations. Much of the soil is strong and rocky. That part of this county in the vicinity of Boston is generally in a high state of cultivation, as there is a good market for agricultural productions in the capital. The manufacture of boots and shoes is an important branch of business in this county. In 1837, there were 5,259 persons engaged in this manufacture. The following is a list of the towns, which are 22 in number.

In 1820, the population of this county was 36,471; in 1830, it was 41,901; in 1837, it was 50,399.

BELLINGHAM.

THIS town was set off from Dedham, and incorporated as a town in 1719. Rev. Jonathan Mills was ordained in 1727 over a Congregational church which had been previously formed in this place. He continued here about ten years, though not in the most harmonious manner, and was dismissed in 1737. He retired to Boston, where he died, in 1773. The people had occasional preaching after the dismissal of Mr. Mills, till 1774, when the meeting-house was demolished. For about the period of sixty years past, no Congregational minister has statedly held meetings in the town. The Congregational church has long been extinct. Some families of this order, however, are religiously associated with the west parish in Medway.

In the center of the town there are 2 churches, and 10 or 12 dwelling-houses. Distance, 5 miles from Mendon, 18 from Dedham, and 28 from Boston. Population, 1,159. In 1837, there were 2 cotton mills, 1,672 spindles; 427,470 yards of cotton goods were manufactured, valued at $35,110 25; males employed, 20; females, 34: one woollen mill, 2 sets of machinery; 24,000 yards of cloth

were manufactured, valued at $62,000. There were 14,570 pairs of boots and 220 pairs of shoes manufactured, valued at $28,077; straw bonnets manufactured, 1,450, valued at $2,650.

BRAINTREE.

THIS town formerly included Quincy and Randolph, and was at first called Mount Wollaston, and is one of the most ancient places in the state, the first settlement being made in the town as early as 1625. The ancient history of Braintree now properly comes under the head of Quincy, as Mount Wollaston, the place where the first settlement was made, is within the limits of that town. Braintree was incorporated in 1640, Quincy in 1792.

The soil of this township, though not very fertile, is strong, and well repays cultivation. The Maniquot river, after passing through this town and affording many mill sites, meets the tide-waters of Weymouth Fore river at Braintree landing. In the town are manufactories of cotton, satinet, shovels, paper, nails, and chocolate; large quantities of shoes are made here. There is excellent granite found here, and large quantities are exported; ship-building is also carried on to some extent. There are 3 churches, one of which is Unitarian. On the eastern line of the town is situated the flourishing settlement of Weymouth village; about one third of it lies within the limits of this town. A view of this village is given in the account of Weymouth. (See Weymouth.) Population, 2,237. Distance, 12 miles S. E. of Dedham, and 10 southerly from Boston. In 1837, there were 65,604 pairs of boots, 71,117 pairs of shoes, manufactured in this town, the value of which was $202,363 03; males employed, 357; females, 265. There were two paper-mills; stock manufactured, 182 tons; value of paper, $25,000; one nail factory; nails manufactured, 215 tons; value of nails manufactured, $33,460; hands employed, 19; value of cotton gins manufactured, $15,000; hands employed, 30.

"A survey between the tide-waters of this town and those of Taunton river, to unite Massachusetts and Narragansett bays by a ship canal, was commenced by the United States government in 1827. From the tide lock at Somerset, 13 miles below Taunton, the distance is 36 miles. The summit level between the bays is at Howard's meadow, in Randolph, 134 feet above high-water mark at Braintree or Weymouth landing. A ship canal in this direction, or one across Cape Cod at Sandwich, would save many lives and a vast amount of property."-Hayward's Massachusetts Directory.

BROOKLINE.

THIS town, before its incorporation in 1705, belonged to Boston, from which it was separated by a bay formed by Charles river.

Wood, the author of "New England's Prospect," in describing Boston and other places in the vicinity, in 1633, says

"The inhabitants of this place, [Boston] for their enlargement, have taken to themselves farm-houses in a place called Muddy River, [Brookline] two miles from the town, where there is good ground, large timber, and store of marsh land and meadow. In this place they keep their swine and other cattle in the summer, whilst the corn is in the ground at Boston, and bring them to town in the winter." As early as 1686, the inhabitants at Muddy River had obtained an order that said hamlet should thenceforth be free from paying taxes to the town of Boston, and to have the privilege of annually choosing three men to manage their affairs. The conditions were, that they should bear their own expenses, erect a school-house, and maintain a reading and writ ing master. After the overthrow of Andross, the town of Boston disannulled the above order, and rigorously exercised over them all the authority they possessed. After some considerable opposition, a petition, signed by 32 freeholders, was presented to the legis lature in 1705, for a separation from Boston. The petition was granted, and the place was incorporated as a distinct town by the name of Brookline. "It is supposed that this name was adopted from the circumstance that Smelt brook is a boundary between that town and Cambridge, and that another brook, which falls into Muddy river, is a boundary between it and Roxbury."

The hills and woodlands of Brookline form a considerable part of the scenery presented to the view from the west of Boston common. The town contains some of the finest country seats and best managed lands which adorn the environs of Boston. It is 5 miles northerly from Dedham, and 5 W. of Boston. Population, 1,083. There are 2 churches, 1 Congregational and 1 Baptist. A direct communication with Boston is effected by the construction of an immense mill-dam, a mile and a half in length, and 100 feet in the widest and 50 feet in the narrowest part, built with walls of stone, filled up compactly with gravel and other materials, at an enormous expense. It is water-tight, and raised three or four feet above high-water mark. This "Western Avenue," as it is called, was opened for passengers July 2, 1821. There was a splendid ceremony on the occasion. A cavalcade of citizens, under the direction of Adj. Gen. Wm. H. Sumner, at an early hour entered the town over the dam, and were welcomed on the Boston side by the inhabitants. Several of the revolutionary forts may be traced in this town by some slight remains; and the site of one of the ancient Indian forts, built by the natives before the settlement by the English, is yet discernible, on what is called Sewall's farm.

Zabdiel Boylston, F. R. S., an eminent physician, was a native of this town, born in 1680, and died in this town in 1766. He is distinguished as being the first who introduced the inoculation of the small-pox into America.

"The inoculation of small-pox was first performed in the English dominions in April, 1721, upon a daughter of the celebrated Lady M. W. Montague, who had be come acquainted with inoculation as practised by Turkish women, during her residence in Constantinople.

"About this time Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, of Boston, was induced to adopt the same expedient, from reading an account of inoculation, and made his first experiment by inoculating his only son and two negro servants, on the 27th of June, 1721. Probably there never was greater opposition to any measure of real public utility than was exhibited on this occasion. Dr. Boylston was execrated and persecuted as a murderer, assaulted in the streets, and loaded with every species of abuse. His house was at tacked with violence, so that neither himself nor his family could feel secure in it. At

one time he remained fourteen days in a secret apartment of his own house, unknown to any of his family except his wife. The enraged inhabitants patrolled the town in parties, with halters in their hands, threatening to hang him on the nearest tree, and repeatedly entered his house in search of him during his concealment. Such was the madness of the multitude, that, even after the excitement had in some measure subsid ed, Dr. Boylston only ventured to visit his patients at midnight, and then in disguise. He had also to encounter violent opposition from most of the members of his own profession, and notwithstanding he invited them all to visit his patients, and judge for themselves, received nothing but threats and insults in reply. Indeed, many sober, pious people were deliberately of opinion, when inoculation was first commenced, that, should any of his patients die, the doctor ought to be capitally indicted. He was repeatedly summoned before the selectmen of Boston, and received their reprehension. His only friends were Dr. Cotton Mather and other clergymen, most of whom became zealous advocates for the new practice, and consequently drew upon themselves much odium from the populace. Some of them received personal injury; others were insulted in the streets, and were hardly safe in their own dwellings; nor were their services acceptable on Sunday to their respective audiences.

"A bill for prohibiting the practice of inoculation, under severe penalties, was brought before the legislature of Massachusetts, and actually passed the house of representatives, but some doubts existing in the senate, it failed to become a law.

"Dr. Boylston lived to see the cause he espoused triumphant, and its utility generally appreciated. So prone are mankind to vacillate from one extreme to the other, that, on a subsequent appearance of the small-pox in Boston, in the year 1792, the whole town was inoculated in three days, to appease the infatuation of the inhabitants respecting the danger apprehended from this deadly pestilence. Persons were inoculated indiscriminately, to the number of 9,152; and such was the hurry and confusion with which it was done, and such the impossibility of rendering proper assistance and attention to so large a number, that 165 deaths were the consequence."

CANTON.

CANTON was originally the south precinct of Dorchester, called Dorchester village; it was incorporated in 1797. The first church was embodied here in the year 1717, and Rev. Joseph Morse was ordained its minister the same year. He had preached in the village, previous to his ordination, nearly eleven years. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Dunbar, in 1727. Mr. Dunbar was a warm and decided friend to the liberties of his country. In 1755, he was chaplain to Col. Brown's regiment, in the expedition against Crown Point. "His zeal and firmness in the American Revolution contributed not a little to support the hopes and sustain the sinking spirits of his people, when clouds and darkness shrouded our prospects." He died in 1783, and was succeeded by Rev. Zachariah Howard, who was settled in 1786. The Rev. William Harlow was installed over the second church in 1829, resigned the same year.

The following is a westerly view of the viaduct in this town, on which passes the Boston and Providence railroad. It is constructed of granite, and is 600 feet in length, 63 feet above the foundation, on 6 arches, with a succession of arches at the top. It is an admirable piece of workmanship, and cost the company about $80,000. On the right of the engraving is seen the northern extremity of the stone factory, a large establishment for the manufacture of cassimeres, which, when in full operation, employs be

tween 300 and 400 hands. The copper works of Mr. Revere, near the above, is an extensive establishment; all kinds of copper are manufactured. There are also other large manufacturing establishments in the limits of the town. There are 4 churches (2 Congregational, 1 Baptist, and 1 Methodist) and a bank, the "Neponset Bank." Population, 2,185. Since 1830, the population has increased one third. Distance, 5 miles from Dedham, 18 from Taunton, and 15 from Boston.

In 1837, there was 1 woollen mill, 14 sets of machinery; wool consumed, 300,000 lbs. ; cloth manufactured, 254,000 yards, valued at $250,000; males employed, 125; females, 125. One cotton mill; 1,560 spindles; 463,547 yards of cotton goods were manufactured. There were 8 furnaces for the manufacture of copper; 1,500,000 lbs. of copper were manufactured; value estimated, $400,000; forty hands were employed; one forge; "shapes" manufactured, 129 tons, value, $21,330; fifty hands were employed in the manufacture of hoes and coarse cutlery; capital invested, $80,000. Two rolling mills, 1 cotton wicking mill, 1 cotton thread mill, and some other manufacturing establishments, were in operation.

COHASSET.

THIS town was originally a part of Hingham; it was incorporated in 1770. The first minister of Cohasset was Rev. Nehemiah Hobart, the grandson of Rev. Peter Hobart, the first minister of Hingham. He was ordained in 1721, and continued in the ministry till his death, in 1740. His successor was Rev. John Fowle, who continued here about thirteen years. Rev. John Brown was the next minister, who was settled here in 1747, and died in 1791. His successor was Mr. Shaw, who was in the ministry here about