Welcome to Salem History Online

The majority of the research done to create this website was possible thanks to
the Salem Public Library.  If you would like to learn more about any of these
topics, please visit the Sources page where you can find links to books
available there.

It happened on this day in
Salem, Massachusetts:

June 16, 1805  Reverend Bentley wrote:
    Sunday. Notes.  Mary Whitford, died of her only son John.  
He leaped overboard from the Brig Aurora, W. Webb, master, on the
20 Feb. last at 30.  He had long been deranged by excessive
intemperance.  In youth active & useful.1809 Norwegian privateers captured the Salem ship "Pacific",
carrying a cargo of flour, rice, and tobacco to Gotenburg, Sweden.June 17, 1771 John Adams was in Salem in his role as an Eastern
Circuit lawyer.1773 The Salem Custom House Boat “King’s Boat” sailed out to
Baker’s Island with 12 aboard.  Seven of those were women, five
of whom were pregnant.  While they were having a picnic between
Baker’s and Misery Islands, a storm came quickly into the sound.  
They made for the protection of Marblehead Harbor but the keel
struck a rock near Eagle Island and went down quickly.  Of the
twelve, only John Beckett and Philip Becket were rescued.1798 Captain James Devereux and the ship “Franklin” were the
first from Salem to arrive in Japan.1811 The Salem ship “Success”, with a cargo of cotton and
logwood, was captured by Danes.1880 The Pavillion at Salem Willows opened.1913 The statue of Roger Conant was dedicated at Washington
Square and Brown Street.  It was the work of Henry Hudson Kitson,
an Englishmen just like Roger Conant.  Kitson was also the artist
who created the Minuteman Statue at Lexington.  Like the statue
of Hawthorne it was first displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston.1988 The Salem Vocational High School celebrated its 50th
Anniversary at the Knights of Columbus Hall.1993 Lappin Park was rededicated at Town House Square at the
corner of Washington and Essex Streets.  It was named for John
and Frances Lappin.2000 The Salem Common fence was painted by 248 families who
volunteered their time and effort.June 18, 1744 According to the diary of James Jeffrey, there was
cockfighting at the Salem Town House. (page 183 Phillips 18th
Cent.)1890 Almy, Bigelow & Washburn at 186 Essex Street opened their
Japanese Goods Department, run by Bunkio Matsuki. (EIHC 129 no 2)1926 Sweden’s Prince Gustavus Adolphus and his wife Louise
visited the House of the Seven Gables and the Peabody Museum.1999 Memorial Park, next to the Bentley School, was rededicated
as General Albin F. Irzyk Park in honor of the Tank Commander in
Patton’s Third Army and former Second Baseman at Salem High
School.  The 81 year old Irzyk was there and spoke about his 31
year military career that began with World War II and ended with
Vietnam.  The festivities featured a Three Blast Salute from
Howitzers of the Bravo Battery of the National Guard’s 101st
Field Artillery Unit.June 19, 1776 Ezekial Russel began publishing his second
newspaper in Salem, the “American Gazette or Constitutional
Journal”.  It lasted several weeks.1811 The Salem ship “Mary Ann” was captured by Danes.  She was on
her way to St. Petersburg with a cargo of sugar, coffee, and
indigo.1840 The Eastern Railroad inaugurated passenger service to
Newbury.1864 From a hospital ship near Drury’s Bluff, where he was in the
Invalid Corps after surviving a bout with dystentary, Fred
Osbourne wrote to his Mother in Salem:Yours of the fourteenth was received day before
yesterday.  The money was all right but I must tell you now what
I neglected to in the first place, that State Money is of no more
use here than so much brown paper. I should have written to you
that greenbacks must be sent.  Nothing but specie and greenbacks
is current anywhere at the seat of war.
      So I shall have to send it back again.  Probably the
cashier or whoever it was knew just as well as I do that he had
no business to give you anything but greenbacks but he couldn’t
resist the temptation to take advantage of your not knowing the
difference I should just like to be there and have them do so.  
Now probably he will make a row about giving the greenbacks, but
I suppose it is right that I should have the same money as I send
home.  But I hate to have Jennie or any of you fussing around
about it.  It isn’t thing for a lady anyway. (page 220)2003 The Custom House Eagle was taken down for repairs again, for
at least the 19th time.  The Eagle was carved in 1826 by Salem’s
Joseph True.2005 Salem born Robert Ellis Cahill died in Florida.  Mr. Cahill
was the Sheriff of Essex County and the author of many books on
history, folklore, and scuba diving.June 20, 1800 Alexander Hamilton visited his friend Benjamin
Pickman at his house at 165 Essex Street.1813 Poet Charles Timothy Brooks, best known for his translation
of Goeth’s Faust, was born in Salem (Perley/Poets)1863 Writer Bruce Lancaster died in Salem.  He was buried in
Harmony Grove.1958 Senator John F. Kennedy participated in the Salem Homecoming
Celebration.1976 The Woman’s Friend Society held a celebration and open house
to commemorate the institution’s Centennial.1979 The plaque celebrating the Salem Frigate, the "U.S.S. Essex"
built in Salem in 1799, as well as the Aircraft Carrier of the
same name built in 1942, was dedicated at Pickering Wharf.June 21, 1789 Elias Hasket Derby received the first shipment to
Salem of Bombay cotton, brought in aboard the ship “Peggy”.1948 The Naval Reserve Training Facility at Salem Maritime
National Historic Site was opened.  It featured a minesweeper and
submarine among its training ships, kept at Derby Wharf.June 22, 1691 Governor Bradstreet signed the commission of
Captain Benjamin Allen of Salem to command the ketch “Endeavor”
as a “vessel of war against the French and Indians, sea rovers
and pirates.” (Perley 306)1812 Reverend Bentley wrote:This day the official news of war with England reached
us.  Its effect has been that the Merchants who have vessels at
sea of both parties are the most displeased and violent.  So
accustomed have these men been to consider the extraordinary
pains of their trade to the distress of Europe, so much the Law
of their Government, and so accustomed have they been to dictate
to the Constituted Authorities.  They threaten dissolution of the
Union.1823 The last, and eighth, child of Mary and Nathaniel Bowditch
was born.  Elizabeth Boardman Ingersoll Bowditch, like all of her
siblings, had her mother’s maiden name as a middle name.  She
also had the name of Nathaniel’s first wife, Elizabeth Boardman,
who had died of consumption months after they were married.1846 Julian was born to Sophia and Nathaniel Hawthorne.  His
father called him “The Black Prince” because of his dark curly
hair and red cheeks.  He would go on to write a memoir entitled
"Nathaniel Hawthorne and his Wife".1880 The President of The Essex Institute, Robert S. Rantoul,
gave a talk commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the landing of
John Winthrop.  The exercises were held at Juniper Point.1881 A fire destroyed the N. R. Treadwell Tannery.June 23, 1784 Count Castiglioni visited Salem.1800 Alexander Hamilton once again stopped in Salem on his way
back to New York from Portsmouth.  He had a fish dinner at Fort
Pickering after an inspection of the facility.1811 The Salem ship "Juno", on her way to St. Petersburg with a
cargo of sugar, coffee, and cotton, was captured by Danes.1831 The First District Court of Essex County, Justice J. B. J.
Osgood presiding, was established on Central Street.1904 The Essex Institute hosted Hawthorne Day as part of the
100th anniversary of the author’s birth.2003 The Peabody Essex Museum reopened its galleries in its new
building.Last week's history is archived here.