Driving around the area this spring and summer, I couldn’t help thinking about roads and their maintenance. In this same time period, I came across some old papers regarding the creation of Rochester’s early roads. To decipher them, one needs a course in ancient map reading as the descriptions of the road layouts go from one man’s land to the next. For example; “thence south 18 degrees W 103 rods across said Harlow’s land to the road leading from George Douglass’s house to Nathaniel Clapp’s land.” This was an excerpt from an 1820’s report put out after a vote by the selectmen to the “subscribers” of the road.
Some of these papers also direct the surveyor to notify those whose roads are approved of the assessments for which they will be responsible. The assessments were to be paid in 2 parts, half in June and half in September. The papers also show that in that 1820’s time period, permission to alter a town way had to be granted by the Justices of the court of General Sessions of Peace for the County of Plymouth. The court would consider alterations after the submitting of a petition from the “subscribers and inhabitants” of Rochester.
However, not all sections of Rochester’s road required these steps. At least 2 areas of road were the gift of generous Rochester residents. As has previously been mentioned, Charles Leonard of East Over provided matching funds to the town for the improvement of Mary’s Pond Rd. from the river to Rochester Center.
Another resident who used his personal wealth to improve his town is Zebulon Thompson, pictured here. Zebulon, born in 1831, was the son of Isaac Thompson, a successful stonecutter. Isaac built a family home on the site where the Seth Haskell house had stood at 487 New Bedford Rd. When Isaac died, Zebulon. as the eldest son, took over the stone cutting business at which he was equally successful. He also inherited his father’s house and after it burned in 1850, he rebuilt it and it is still there today.
Zebulon took responsibility for his family. He cared for his mother until her death and helped his brothers and most notably his sisters with their education. Later, he opened his home to his widowed sister, Jane Thompson and her daughters, Mary Hall Leonard and Caroline Goodenough.
Hardworking and frugal, he amassed a fortune of $50,000.00 over his lifetime. He was generous and gave much money to the poor and area institutions and finally, we are back to roads. In the late 1800’s, the area roads provided easy driving in many spots but the roadway from Marion Depot to Rochester was not one of them. Rochester was able to improve this road with money left to the town by Zebulon Thompson. Thompson died in 1895 and was recognized by Marion, Fairhaven and Rochester for his generosity. The advice that he gave to his nieces throughout his life was “Be kind to the poor. Help the needy.” Words that still ring true today.
By Connie Eshbach