Dedham, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Dedham ˈdɛdəm is a town
in and the county seat
of Norfolk County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston
's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham
, on the southwest by Westwood
and on the southeast by Canton
.
of Norfolk County
. When the Town was incorporated, the residents wanted to name it Contentment. The Massachusetts General Court
overruled them and named the town after Dedham, Essex
in England, where some of the original inhabitants were born.
At the first public meeting on August 15, 1636, eighteen men signed the town covenant. They swore that they would "in the fear and reverence of our Almighty God, mutually and severally promise amongst ourselves and each to profess and practice one truth according to that most perfect rule, the foundation whereof is ever lasting love."
They also agreed that "we shall by all means labor to keep off from us all such as are contrary minded, and receive only such unto us as may be probably of one heart with us, [and such] as that we either know or may well and truly be informed to walk in a peaceable conversation with all meekness of spirit, [this] for the edification of each other in the knowledge and faith of the Lord Jesus…" The covenant also stipulated that if differences were to arise between townsmen, they would seek arbitration for resolution and each would pay his fair share for the common good.
In November 1798, David Brown led a group in Dedham protesting the federal government; they set up a liberty pole
, as people had before the American Revolution
. It carried the words, "No Stamp Act
, No Sedition Act
, No Alien Bills
, No Land Tax, downfall to the Tyrants of America; peace and retirement to the President; Love Live the Vice President," referring to then-President John Adams
and Vice President Thomas Jefferson
. Brown was arrested in Andover
but because he could not afford the $4,000 bail, he was taken to Salem
for trial. Brown was tried in June 1799. Although he wanted to plead guilty, Justice Samuel Chase
urged him to name those who had helped him or subscribed to his writings in exchange for freedom. Brown refused, was fined $480, and sentenced to eighteen months in prison. It was the most severe sentence up to then imposed under the Alien and Sedition Acts
.
Dedham is home to the Fairbanks House, the oldest surviving timber-frame house in the United States, scientifically dated to 1637. On January 1, 1643, by unanimous vote, Dedham authorized the first taxpayer-funded public school, "the seed of American education." Its first teacher, Rev. Ralph Wheelock, was paid 20 pounds annually to instruct the youth of the community. Descendants of these students would become presidents of Dartmouth College
, Yale University
and Harvard University
.
The first man-made canal
in North America, Mother Brook
, was created in Dedham in 1639. It linked the Charles River
to the Neponset River
. Although both are slow-moving rivers, they are at different elevations. The difference in elevation made the canal's current swift enough to power several local mills.
In 1818, though citizens were still taxed for the support of ministers and other "public teachers of religion", Dedham set a precedent toward the separation of church and state
. Residents selected a minister different than that chosen by the church selectmen; their right of selection was confirmed by the Supreme Judicial Court
. The shift in power to the congregation led to the rise of the Congregational Church
es.
The local Endicott Estate
burned to the ground in 1904 after the local volunteer fire department, responding to three separate fires burning simultaneously, reached the Endicott fire last. By the time they arrived, only ashes remained. It is said that the estate's owner, Henry Bradford Endicott (also founder of the Endicott Johnson Corporation
) took the burning of the homestead as a divine command to rebuild (which he did). The rebuilt Endicott Estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The estate and surrounding grounds are open to the public, upholding Henry's stepdaughter Katherine's wish to use the house and property for "educational, civic, social and recreational purposes."
In the 1920s, the historic Sacco and Vanzetti
trial was held in the Dedham County Courthouse.
Dedham pottery
is a cherished class of antiques, characterized by a distinctive crackle glaze, blue-and-white color scheme, and a frequent motif of rabbits and other animals. Dedham is sometimes called the "mother of towns" because 14 present-day communities were included within its original broad borders.
, has placed a small medallion into a granite block showing an elevation of .
Dedham is made up of a number of neighborhoods:
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27.5 km²), of which, 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.79%) is water.
, 0.16% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races
, and 1.08% from two or more races. 2.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 8,654 households, of which 30.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them. 56.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.14.
Dedham's population is spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $61,699, and the median income for a family was $72,330. Males had a median income of $46,216 versus $35,682 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,199. About 3.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
The town's seal has several features. In the center is a crest containing the Old Avery Oak
. When the tree was finally felled the gavel used by the Moderator
at Town Meeting
was carved out of it. Above the tree are the scales of justice, representing Dedham as the county seat and home to Norfolk County
's courts. On the left of the tree are agricultural instruments and on the right is a factory, showing Dedham's history first as a town of farmers and then a one with a number of mills and factories, particularly along Mother Brook
. Below the tree is a banner with the word "Contentment."
The town flag is red with the seal prominent and in the center. In the lower left corner is part of the Avery Oak
and in the lower right is part of the Fairbanks House. It hangs in the selectmen's chambers at town hall and in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House
.
." Town Meeting is to consist of no less than 270 members, but not more than necessary to achieve an equal number coming from each precinct.
There are to be "not less than six nor more than nine convenient voting districts, so established as to consist of as nearly an equal number of inhabitants as is possible in compact and contiguous territory." The districts are to be drawn by the Board of Selectmen and the Registrars of Voters every ten years.
Town Meeting sets its own rules and keeps a journal of proceedings. Votes are by voice unless members call for a standing or roll call vote. The Moderator may call for a roll call vote at his discretion. All Town officers are required to attend Town Meeting and multiple member bodies must send at least one representative who have all the privileges of a Member except the right to vote.
If 5% of Town voters petition the Board of Selectmen within 14 days of Town Meeting any action taken may be submitted to voters. The final result is to be determined by majority vote, but Town Meeting can not be overruled unless 20% of registered voters participate.
To be eligible, candidates must have 10 registered voters from their precinct sign nomination papers. Town Meeting Members can not serve on any other elected board or on the Finance Committee
. Members who move from the district or are removed by redistricting
may serve until the next Town Election, however any member who moves out of the Town immediately ceases to be a Member.
In case of a vacancy, the remaining term is to be filled at the next town election. If no election is to take place within 120 days of the vacancy then the district chairman is to call together the members of the district and they are to elect a member who will serve until the next town election.
The Board of Selectmen have five members who are elected for three year terms and are the chief policy making body for the town. They appoint a Town Administrator who runs the day to day affairs of the Town. They also appoint constables, registrars of voters and other election officers, the board of appeals, conservation commission, historic district commission, and members of several other multiple member boards.
They set policy for all agencies below it, but are not involved in the day to day affairs of the Town. They issue licenses and can investigate the affairs and the conduct of any town agency.
The three elected members of the Board of Assessors serve three year terms and annually make a fair cash valuation of all property within the town.
The three elected members of the Board of Health are responsible for the formulation and enforcement of rules and regulations affecting the environment and the public health.
The Board of Library Trustees has five members, each of whom serve three year terms, and have care of the Town's public library at the Endicott Branch and Main Branch. They are responsible for all library policy, the library budget, and hiring and firing the library director. The current Chairman is Joseph B. Craven.
The five elected members of the Planning Board make studies and prepare plans concerning the resources, possibilities and needs of the town. It also prepares the Master Plan.
There are five elected Commissioners of the Trust Funds who manage and control all funds left, given, bequeathed or devised to the town, and distribute the income in accordance with the terms of the respective trusts.
There are five members of the Housing Authority. Four are elected by the Town and one is appointed by the Commonwealth Commissioner of Community Affairs. As a Board they have all of the powers and duties which are given to housing authorities under the constitution and laws of the Commonwealth.
Boston United Hand in Hand Cemetery is located on Lower East Street straddling the
West Roxbury line. Dating back to 1875, the original plot was full by 1896 but subsequently expanded multiple times. There are graves as recent as 1980 in the West Roxbury portion; the Dedham portion is still active. Chestnut Hill's Congregation Mishka Tefila currently owns the property.
service from Boston's South Station
is provided by the MBTA with stops at Endicott
and
Dedham Corporate Center
on its Franklin Line
.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, on the southwest by Westwood
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
and on the southeast by Canton
Canton, Massachusetts
Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,561 at the 2010 census. Canton is part of Greater Boston, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Boston.- History :...
.
History
Settled in 1635 by people from Roxbury and Watertown, Dedham was incorporated in 1636. It became the county seatCounty seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
. When the Town was incorporated, the residents wanted to name it Contentment. The Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
overruled them and named the town after Dedham, Essex
Dedham, Essex
Dedham is a village within the borough of Colchester in northeast Essex, England, situated on the River Stour and on the border of Essex and Suffolk...
in England, where some of the original inhabitants were born.
At the first public meeting on August 15, 1636, eighteen men signed the town covenant. They swore that they would "in the fear and reverence of our Almighty God, mutually and severally promise amongst ourselves and each to profess and practice one truth according to that most perfect rule, the foundation whereof is ever lasting love."
They also agreed that "we shall by all means labor to keep off from us all such as are contrary minded, and receive only such unto us as may be probably of one heart with us, [and such] as that we either know or may well and truly be informed to walk in a peaceable conversation with all meekness of spirit, [this] for the edification of each other in the knowledge and faith of the Lord Jesus…" The covenant also stipulated that if differences were to arise between townsmen, they would seek arbitration for resolution and each would pay his fair share for the common good.
In November 1798, David Brown led a group in Dedham protesting the federal government; they set up a liberty pole
Liberty pole
A liberty pole is a tall wooden pole, often used as a type of flagstaff, planted in the ground, which may be surmounted by an ensign or a liberty cap. They are associated with the Atlantic Revolutions of the late 18th century.-American Revolution:...
, as people had before the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. It carried the words, "No Stamp Act
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament specifically on the colonies of British America. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp...
, No Sedition Act
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were four bills passed in 1798 by the Federalists in the 5th United States Congress in the aftermath of the French Revolution's reign of terror and during an undeclared naval war with France, later known as the Quasi-War. They were signed into law by President John Adams...
, No Alien Bills
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were four bills passed in 1798 by the Federalists in the 5th United States Congress in the aftermath of the French Revolution's reign of terror and during an undeclared naval war with France, later known as the Quasi-War. They were signed into law by President John Adams...
, No Land Tax, downfall to the Tyrants of America; peace and retirement to the President; Love Live the Vice President," referring to then-President John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
and Vice President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. Brown was arrested in Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
but because he could not afford the $4,000 bail, he was taken to Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
for trial. Brown was tried in June 1799. Although he wanted to plead guilty, Justice Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and earlier was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland. Early in life, Chase was a "firebrand" states-righter and revolutionary...
urged him to name those who had helped him or subscribed to his writings in exchange for freedom. Brown refused, was fined $480, and sentenced to eighteen months in prison. It was the most severe sentence up to then imposed under the Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were four bills passed in 1798 by the Federalists in the 5th United States Congress in the aftermath of the French Revolution's reign of terror and during an undeclared naval war with France, later known as the Quasi-War. They were signed into law by President John Adams...
.
Dedham is home to the Fairbanks House, the oldest surviving timber-frame house in the United States, scientifically dated to 1637. On January 1, 1643, by unanimous vote, Dedham authorized the first taxpayer-funded public school, "the seed of American education." Its first teacher, Rev. Ralph Wheelock, was paid 20 pounds annually to instruct the youth of the community. Descendants of these students would become presidents of Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
The first man-made canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
in North America, Mother Brook
Mother Brook
Mother Brook is the modern name for a stream that flows from the Charles River in Dedham, Massachusetts, to the Neponset River in the Hyde Park section of Boston, Massachusetts. Mother Brook was also known variously as East Brook and Mill Brook in earlier times. The man-made portion of Mother...
, was created in Dedham in 1639. It linked the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
to the Neponset River
Neponset River
The Neponset River is a river in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The headwaters of the Neponset are at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, near the Gillette Stadium...
. Although both are slow-moving rivers, they are at different elevations. The difference in elevation made the canal's current swift enough to power several local mills.
In 1818, though citizens were still taxed for the support of ministers and other "public teachers of religion", Dedham set a precedent toward the separation of church and state
Separation of church and state in the United States
The phrase "separation of church and state" , attributed to Thomas Jefferson and others, and since quoted by the Supreme Court of the United States, expresses an understanding of the intent and function of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States...
. Residents selected a minister different than that chosen by the church selectmen; their right of selection was confirmed by the Supreme Judicial Court
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
. The shift in power to the congregation led to the rise of the Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
es.
The local Endicott Estate
Endicott Estate
The Endicott Estate is a mansion built in the nineteenth century, located at 656 East Street in Dedham, Massachusetts “situated on a 15-acre panorama of lush green lawn that is punctuated by stately elm, spruce and weeping willow trees” . It was built by Henry Bradford Endicott, founder of the...
burned to the ground in 1904 after the local volunteer fire department, responding to three separate fires burning simultaneously, reached the Endicott fire last. By the time they arrived, only ashes remained. It is said that the estate's owner, Henry Bradford Endicott (also founder of the Endicott Johnson Corporation
Endicott Johnson Corporation
The Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company was a prosperous manufacturer of shoes based in New York's Southern Tier, with factories mostly located in the area's Triple Cities of Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott...
) took the burning of the homestead as a divine command to rebuild (which he did). The rebuilt Endicott Estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The estate and surrounding grounds are open to the public, upholding Henry's stepdaughter Katherine's wish to use the house and property for "educational, civic, social and recreational purposes."
In the 1920s, the historic Sacco and Vanzetti
Sacco and Vanzetti
Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were anarchists who were convicted of murdering two men during a 1920 armed robbery in South Braintree, Massachusetts, United States...
trial was held in the Dedham County Courthouse.
Dedham pottery
Dedham Pottery
Dedham Pottery was a pottery company opened by the Robertson Family in Dedham, Massachusetts during the American arts & crafts movement that operated between 1896 and 1943. It was known for its high-fire stoneware characterized by a controlled and very fine crackle glaze with thick cobalt boarder...
is a cherished class of antiques, characterized by a distinctive crackle glaze, blue-and-white color scheme, and a frequent motif of rabbits and other animals. Dedham is sometimes called the "mother of towns" because 14 present-day communities were included within its original broad borders.
Geography
Dedham is located at 42°14′40"N 71°9′55"W (42.244609, −71.165531). On the northeast corner of High Street and Court Street the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey, now the U.S. National Geodetic SurveyU.S. National Geodetic Survey
National Geodetic Survey, formerly called the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey , is a United States federal agency that defines and manages a national coordinate system, providing the foundation for transportation and communication; mapping and charting; and a large number of applications of science...
, has placed a small medallion into a granite block showing an elevation of .
Dedham is made up of a number of neighborhoods:
- In the geographical center of town is Oakdale. It is roughly confined by East Street to the west, Cedar Street to the south and east, and Whiting Ave to the north.
- Riverdale is an island surrounded by the Charles RiverCharles RiverThe Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
and Long Ditch. - Greenlodge runs along the axis of Greenlodge Street and the area between Greenlodge Street and East Street.
- The Manor comprises the neighborhood south of Sprague Street.
- Oakdale lies between Cedar Street to the north and Sprague Street to the south.
- East Dedham falls between Mother Brook and the BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
line. - Precinct One, or Upper Dedham, is in the northwest corner of the town, between High Street and Common Street and the WestwoodWestwood, MassachusettsWestwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
and NeedhamNeedham, MassachusettsNeedham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
lines.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27.5 km²), of which, 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.79%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,464 people, 8,654 households, and 6,144 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,244.6 people per square mile (866.9/km²). There were 8,908 housing units at an average density of 852.2 per square mile (329.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.51% White, 1.54% Black or African AmericanRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.16% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.08% from two or more races. 2.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 8,654 households, of which 30.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them. 56.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.14.
Dedham's population is spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $61,699, and the median income for a family was $72,330. Males had a median income of $46,216 versus $35,682 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,199. About 3.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Seal and flag
Avery Oak
The Old Avery Oak Tree stood in Dedham, Massachusetts until it was knocked down in the New England Hurricane of 1938. It predated the town, which was incorporated in 1636. It had a circumference of over 16' and stood on East Street near the Fairbanks House...
. When the tree was finally felled the gavel used by the Moderator
Moderator (town official)
A moderator is an official of an incorporated town who presides over the town meeting, and in some cases, other municipal meetings. In the United States, the area of the country best known for the town meeting form of government is New England. The office of moderator exists in at least Connecticut...
at Town Meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
was carved out of it. Above the tree are the scales of justice, representing Dedham as the county seat and home to Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
's courts. On the left of the tree are agricultural instruments and on the right is a factory, showing Dedham's history first as a town of farmers and then a one with a number of mills and factories, particularly along Mother Brook
Mother Brook
Mother Brook is the modern name for a stream that flows from the Charles River in Dedham, Massachusetts, to the Neponset River in the Hyde Park section of Boston, Massachusetts. Mother Brook was also known variously as East Brook and Mill Brook in earlier times. The man-made portion of Mother...
. Below the tree is a banner with the word "Contentment."
The town flag is red with the seal prominent and in the center. In the lower left corner is part of the Avery Oak
Avery Oak
The Old Avery Oak Tree stood in Dedham, Massachusetts until it was knocked down in the New England Hurricane of 1938. It predated the town, which was incorporated in 1636. It had a circumference of over 16' and stood on East Street near the Fairbanks House...
and in the lower right is part of the Fairbanks House. It hangs in the selectmen's chambers at town hall and in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
.
Government
The most recent town charter, adopted in 1998, lays out the form of government for the Town.Town Meeting
According to Dedham's Charter, the "administration of all the fiscal, prudential, and municipal affairs of the town, with the government thereof, shall be vested in a legislative branch, to consist of a representative town meetingRepresentative town meeting
A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....
." Town Meeting is to consist of no less than 270 members, but not more than necessary to achieve an equal number coming from each precinct.
There are to be "not less than six nor more than nine convenient voting districts, so established as to consist of as nearly an equal number of inhabitants as is possible in compact and contiguous territory." The districts are to be drawn by the Board of Selectmen and the Registrars of Voters every ten years.
Town Meeting sets its own rules and keeps a journal of proceedings. Votes are by voice unless members call for a standing or roll call vote. The Moderator may call for a roll call vote at his discretion. All Town officers are required to attend Town Meeting and multiple member bodies must send at least one representative who have all the privileges of a Member except the right to vote.
If 5% of Town voters petition the Board of Selectmen within 14 days of Town Meeting any action taken may be submitted to voters. The final result is to be determined by majority vote, but Town Meeting can not be overruled unless 20% of registered voters participate.
Town Meeting members
Currently Town Meeting consists of 273 members, or representatives, with each of the seven districts, or precincts, electing 39. Thirteen are elected from each precinct each year and serve a three year term. Each precinct elects from its own members a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary.To be eligible, candidates must have 10 registered voters from their precinct sign nomination papers. Town Meeting Members can not serve on any other elected board or on the Finance Committee
Board of Finance
The Board of Finance is one of a variety of names for a body that reviews local government budgets in towns or school districts that have the town meeting form of government...
. Members who move from the district or are removed by redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
may serve until the next Town Election, however any member who moves out of the Town immediately ceases to be a Member.
In case of a vacancy, the remaining term is to be filled at the next town election. If no election is to take place within 120 days of the vacancy then the district chairman is to call together the members of the district and they are to elect a member who will serve until the next town election.
Committees
The Town Meeting may establish various ad-hoc and standing committees on which any Town Meeting Member or voter may serve.Warrant
The Warrant at Town Meeting includes the articles to be voted on. Any elected or appointed board, committee, town officer or ten voters, may place an article on the warrant. Each article to be voted on is directed by the Board of Selectmen to an appropriate board or committee to hear and provide the original motion at Town Meeting. All articles expending funds are directed to the Finance Committee; articles dealing with planning and zoning to the Planning Board; articles relating to by-laws to the By-Law Committee.Mini Town Meeting
While it is not called for in the Charter, there is a tradition in Dedham for the Chairmen of the several districts to elect from amongst themselves a chairman. This Chairman of the Chairmen hosts what is officially known as the District Chairmen's Warrant Review Meeting but is much more commonly referred to as Mini Town Meeting. The "Mini" is generally one week before the actual Town Meeting. The purpose of the Mini is to air out several of the contentious issues before bringing them to the floor of Town Meeting.Board of Selectmen
The executive branch of the Town Government is to be "headed" by a Board of Selectmen.The Board of Selectmen have five members who are elected for three year terms and are the chief policy making body for the town. They appoint a Town Administrator who runs the day to day affairs of the Town. They also appoint constables, registrars of voters and other election officers, the board of appeals, conservation commission, historic district commission, and members of several other multiple member boards.
They set policy for all agencies below it, but are not involved in the day to day affairs of the Town. They issue licenses and can investigate the affairs and the conduct of any town agency.
Town Clerk
The Elected Town Clerk serves a three year term and works full time for the Town. The Clerk is "the keeper of vital statistics of the town and the custodian of the town seal and all public records, administer[s] the oaths of office to all town officers... [and is] the clerk of the town meeting." In the role as clerk of town meeting he notifies the public and members of the Town Meeting and keeps a verbatim record of proceedings.Town Moderator
Town Meetings are presided over by the Town Moderator, but he has no vote unless all the Members present and voting are equally divided. At the first Town Meeting following the annual town election he is to appoint, subject to Town Meeting's confirmation, a Deputy Moderator from the elected Members. The Deputy serves in case of the Moderator's absence or disability.Other boards and committees
The seven members of the School Committee are elected for three year terms and appoint a Superintendent of Schools. They also set policy for the School Department.The three elected members of the Board of Assessors serve three year terms and annually make a fair cash valuation of all property within the town.
The three elected members of the Board of Health are responsible for the formulation and enforcement of rules and regulations affecting the environment and the public health.
The Board of Library Trustees has five members, each of whom serve three year terms, and have care of the Town's public library at the Endicott Branch and Main Branch. They are responsible for all library policy, the library budget, and hiring and firing the library director. The current Chairman is Joseph B. Craven.
The five elected members of the Planning Board make studies and prepare plans concerning the resources, possibilities and needs of the town. It also prepares the Master Plan.
There are five elected Commissioners of the Trust Funds who manage and control all funds left, given, bequeathed or devised to the town, and distribute the income in accordance with the terms of the respective trusts.
There are five members of the Housing Authority. Four are elected by the Town and one is appointed by the Commonwealth Commissioner of Community Affairs. As a Board they have all of the powers and duties which are given to housing authorities under the constitution and laws of the Commonwealth.
Education
Dedham has seven public schools, and is known for the first implementation of a tax supported, free public school system, now used nationally.- Dedham High School
- Dedham Middle School
- Avery
- Oakdale
- Greenlodge
- Riverdale
- Early Childhood Education Center
Community organizations
Dedham is home to a number of community organizations, including- The Knights of ColumbusKnights of ColumbusThe Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
- The Rotary Club
- The Friends of the Dedham Public Library
- The Dedham Junior Women's Club
- The American LegionAmerican LegionThe American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
- The Veterans of Foreign WarsVeterans of Foreign WarsThe Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
- The Dedham Square Circle
- The Dedham Community House
- The James Joyce RambleJames Joyce rambleThe James Joyce ramble is a 10-kilometer race held in Dedham, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The race is held each year in April, following soon after the Boston Marathon....
- The Dedham Historical Society
- The Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of AmericaThe Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
- The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse ThievesThe Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse ThievesThe Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves is "the oldest continually existing horse thief apprehending organization in the United States, and one of Dedham’s most venerable social organizations." The club claims that since its founding there have been more than 10,000 members including...
- The Italian – American Citizens Club of Dedham
- The Moose Club
Places of worship
- Allin Congregational Church (United Church of Christ)
- Calvary Baptist Church
- Dedham Temple (Haitian Seventh-Day Adventist Church)
- Fellowship Bible Church
- First Church and Parish in Dedham (Unitarian-Universalist)
- St. John of Damascus Orthodox Church
- St. John's Methodist Church
- St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church
- St. Mary's Catholic Church, home of the LIFE TEENLIFE TEENLife Teen, Inc. is a Catholic youth ministry organization and movement originating in the United States. It was established in 1985 at St. Timothy's Parish in Mesa, Arizona to "lead teens closer to Christ." Life Teen believes that "Eucharist-based ministry has the power to transform teens,...
program, and former church of John Anthony DooherJohn Anthony DooherJohn Anthony Dooher is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston.-Early life:...
, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston - St. Paul's Episcopal Church
- St. Susanna's Catholic Church
- The Church of the Good Shepherd, Episcopal
- Fountain of Grace Church
Boston United Hand in Hand Cemetery is located on Lower East Street straddling the
West Roxbury line. Dating back to 1875, the original plot was full by 1896 but subsequently expanded multiple times. There are graves as recent as 1980 in the West Roxbury portion; the Dedham portion is still active. Chestnut Hill's Congregation Mishka Tefila currently owns the property.
Points of interest
- Dedham Historical Society
- Dedham Public Library (Massachusetts) http://library.dedham-ma.gov/
- Fairbanks HouseFairbanks HouseThe Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts is a historic home built between 1637 and 1641 making it the oldest surviving timber-frame house in North America that has been verified by dendrochronology testing. Puritan settler Jonathan Fairebanke constructed the farm house for his wife Grace and...
- Mother BrookMother BrookMother Brook is the modern name for a stream that flows from the Charles River in Dedham, Massachusetts, to the Neponset River in the Hyde Park section of Boston, Massachusetts. Mother Brook was also known variously as East Brook and Mill Brook in earlier times. The man-made portion of Mother...
(first man-made waterway in the United States) - Noble & Greenough School
- Norfolk County Correctional CenterNorfolk County Correctional CenterThe Norfolk County Correctional Center is a house of correction located on the median of Route 128 in Dedham, Massachusetts. The facility has 502 beds and opened in 1993.- See also :* List of Massachusetts state correctional facilities...
, situated in the median of Route 128. - MIT Endicott House
- Dedham Country Day School
- Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery- Famous pet cemetery, burial place of Igloo, Admiral Richard ByrdRichard ByrdRichard Byrd is the name of:*Richard C. Byrd , American politician*Richard Evelyn Byrd , admiral, polar explorer, aviator*Richard Byrd , American Olympic athlete...
's dog. - Dedham Health and Athletic Complex - a popular destination in town, for residents and non-residents alike. Houses 11 indoor tennis courts, two indoor pools, a large outdoor pool with waterslides, two indoor racquetball courts, multiple exercise studios, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a track, 25,000 sq ft. gym, an MRI Facility, medical offices, a hair salon, and more.
Transportation
Commuter railRegional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
service from Boston's South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
is provided by the MBTA with stops at Endicott
Endicott (MBTA station)
Endicott is a station on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Franklin Line from Franklin, Massachusetts to Boston, Massachusetts.-External links:**...
and
Dedham Corporate Center
Dedham Corporate Center (MBTA station)
Dedham Corporate Center is a station on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Franklin Line from Franklin, Massachusetts to Boston, Massachusetts. The station is located just off exit 14 of Interstate 95/Route 128.-External links:**...
on its Franklin Line
Franklin Line
The Franklin Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail runs from Boston's South Station in a southwesterly direction toward Franklin, Massachusetts. Most Franklin Line trains connect to the Providence/Stoughton Line at Readville though some weekday trains use the Fairmount Line to access South Station...
.
Sports
- Pete HamiltonPete HamiltonPete Hamilton is a retired American NASCAR racer. He won four times in his career , three times driving for Petty Enterprises. His father was a Ph.D. from Harvard University....
, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - John Frederick Kiley outfielder for the Washington Nationals (1884) and Boston Beaneaters (1891)
- Paul McCabePaul McCabePaul McCabe is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played for several clubs as well as representing Queensland in the State of Origin. McCabe was also a member of the 1982 "Invincibles" Kangaroos side, playing in the third Test against Great Britain...
, notable American hockey player - Lefty MillsLefty MillsHoward Robinson "Lefty" Mills was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors, between and , for the St. Louis Browns.-External links:...
, early American baseball player - Freddie Roach, professional boxer and world famous trainer.
Arts and literature
- Louisa May AlcottLouisa May AlcottLouisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
, author of Little WomenLittle WomenLittle Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
, lived and worked for seven weeks during 1851 as a domestic helper in Dedham - Jacques d'Amboise, ballet dancer and choreographer
- Tim CostelloTim Costello (labor advocate)Timothy Mark "Tim" Costello was an American labor and anti-globalization advocate who started his career as a truck driver, driving fuel trucks and as a long-haul trucker...
(1945–2009), labor and anti-globalizationAnti-globalization movementThe anti-globalization movement, or counter-globalisation movement, is critical of the globalization of corporate capitalism. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement, alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist movement, anti-corporate globalization movement, or...
advocate and author - Alvan FisherAlvan FisherAlvan Fisher was one of the United States's pioneers in landscape painting and genre works.-Early years:...
, artist - Lilian Westcott HaleLilian Westcott HaleLilian Westcott Hale was an American impressionist painter.-Life:Her father was Edward Gardner Westcott.She studied at the Hartford Art School, with Elizabeth Stevens....
, artist - Connie HinesConnie HinesConnie Hines was an American actress, best known for playing Alan Young's wife, Carol Post, on the 1960s syndicated and then CBS sitcom Mister Ed.- Biography :...
, television actress - Anita ShreveAnita ShreveAnita Shreve is an American writer. The daughter of an airline pilot and a homemaker, she graduated from Dedham High School, attended Tufts University and began writing while working as a high school teacher in Reading MA. One of her first published stories, Past the Island, Drifting, was awarded...
, author - Richard TretheweyRichard TretheweyRichard S. Trethewey is an American plumber and HVAC contractor, who is best known as a television personality, appearing regularly on This Old House and its spin-offs, Ask This Old House and Inside This Old House...
, plumber on This Old HouseThis Old HouseThis Old House is an American home improvement magazine and television series aired on the American television station Public Broadcasting Service which follows remodeling projects of houses over a number of weeks.-Overview:...
Government
- Fisher AmesFisher AmesFisher Ames was a Representative in the United States Congress from the 1st Congressional District of Massachusetts.-Life and political career:...
, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Louis BrandeisLouis BrandeisLouis Dembitz Brandeis ; November 13, 1856 – October 5, 1941) was an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1916 to 1939.He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Jewish immigrant parents who raised him in a secular mode...
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States... - LeBaron Bradford ColtLeBaron B. ColtLeBaron Bradford Colt was a United States Senator from Rhode Island and a circuit court judge.-Biography:He was born in Dedham, Massachusetts to Christopher Colt and Theodora Goujand DeWolf Colt; his younger brother, Samuel P. Colt, was a prominent Rhode Island businessman and politician...
, U.S. Senator - Samuel DexterSamuel DexterSamuel Dexter was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinet.-Life:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to the Rev. Samuel Dexter, the 4th minister of Dedham, he graduated from Harvard University in 1781 and then studied law at Worcester under Levi Lincoln,...
, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Secretary of WarUnited States Secretary of WarThe Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
, Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
, administered the oath of officeOath of officeAn oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
to Chief JusticeChief Justice of the United StatesThe Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
John MarshallJohn MarshallJohn Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches... - H. Wendell Endicott, ambassador and philanthropist, founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology'sMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
Endicott HouseEndicott HouseThe MIT Endicott House is a conference center located in Dedham, Massachusetts, about south-west from downtown Boston. The center consists of the Endicott mansion, a Normandy French-style chateau, along with a state-of-the art lecture facility known as the Brooks Center, and of gardens, lawn,... - David HackettDavid HackettDavid Low Hackett was an American official.Born in Dedham, Massachusetts, President John F. Kennedy appointed Hackett head of the President's Committee on Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Crime. Later, Hackett headed a study group for the establishment of a domestic peace corps group which later...
, government official - Horace MannHorace MannHorace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...
, American education reformer and abolitionist - John Lothrop MotleyJohn Lothrop MotleyJohn Lothrop Motley was an American historian and diplomat.-Biography:...
, historian, Minister to Great BritainUnited States Ambassador to the United KingdomThe office of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom was traditionally, and still is very much so today due to the Special Relationship, the most prestigious position in the United States Foreign Service...
, Minister to the Austrian EmpireUnited States Ambassador to AustriaThis is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Austria.The United States first established diplomatic relations with Austria in 1838 during the time of the Austrian Empire. Relations between the United States have been continuous since that time except for two interruptions during World War... - Frederick J. Stimson, Ambassador to ArgentinaUnited States Ambassador to ArgentinaThe United States Ambassador to Argentina is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Argentina....
(1914–1921), Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts - George F. WilliamsGeorge F. WilliamsGeorge Fred Williams was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.Born in Dedham, Massachusetts, Williams attended private schools, and was graduated from the Dedham High School in 1868 and from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1872.He studied at the Universities of Heidelberg and...
, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Ambassador to GreeceUnited States Ambassador to GreeceThis is a list of ambassadors from the United States to Greece.*Charles Keating Tuckerman *John M. Francis *John M. Read, Jr. *John M. Read, Jr....
and MontenegroUnited States Ambassador to MontenegroThis is a list of United States Ambassadors to Montenegro.*30-Oct-1905-27-Oct-1907 John B. Jackson, Resident at Athens*20-May-1908-29-Jun-1909 Richmond Pearson, Resident at Athens*31-May-1910-30-Sep-1912 George H...
, known as "the sage of Dedham."
Military
- Leon A. EdneyLeon A. EdneyLeon Albert "Bud" Edney is a retired United States Navy officer. A native of Dedham, Massachusetts, he retired from the Navy as an admiral and served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy.-Naval career:...
, former Supreme Allied Commander, NATO Atlantic Forces - William B. GouldWilliam B. Gould IWilliam B. Gould was a former slave and veteran of the American Civil War.On September 21, 1862, a slave named William Benjamin Gould escaped with seven other slaves by rowing a small boat down the Cape Fear River and out into the Atlantic Ocean where the USS Cambridge of the North Atlantic...
, former slave and Union Navy sailor - James William Augustus NicholsonJames W. NicholsonRear Admiral James William Augustus Nicholson was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy - Stephen Minot Weld, Jr.Stephen Minot Weld, Jr.Stephen Minot Weld Jr. , a member of Boston's illustrious Weld Family, was a horticulturalist and much-decorated United States Army officer of the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, Civil War hero
Miscellaneous
- Eliphalet AdamsEliphalet AdamsEliphalet Adams was an eminent minister of New London, Connecticut. He graduated from Harvard University in 1694. He was ordained February 9, 1709, and died in April 1753, aged 76. Dr. Chauncy spoke of him as a great "Hebrician".He published a sermon on the death of Rev...
, (1677–1753), clergyman and missionary to the Native Americans - Jason FairbanksJason FairbanksJason Fairbanks was an early American murderer. Fairbanks came from a prominent family in Dedham, Massachusetts. He was the son of Ebenezer and Prudence Farrington Fairbanks and lived in the Fairbanks House, today the oldest wood-framed house in the country. He was born with a lame arm...
, murderer - Jonathan FairbanksJonathan FairbanksJonathan Fairbanks was an American colonist born in Heptonstall, Halifax, Yorkshire, England who immigrated to New England in 1633...
, builder of the Fairbanks House - Paul ThurrottPaul ThurrottPaul Brian Thurrott is a technology reporter, published author, podcaster, and the news editor for Windows IT Pro magazine...
, technology reporter, published author, podcaster, and the news editor for Windows IT Pro magazine
Further reading
- Lockridge, Kenneth A. (1985). A New England Town: The First Hundred Years: Dedham, Massachusetts, 1636–1736 (2nd ed.). W. W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-95459-5.
- Cremin, Lawrence A., "American Education: The Colonial Experience 1607–1783," First Edition, New York, Harper & Row, Publishers, 1970.
- Hanson, Robert Brand, "Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635–1890," published by Dedham Historical Society, 1976
External links
- Dedham's official website
- "Taxation for Religion in Early Massachusetts" – Ronald Golini mentions the role of the 1818 "Dedham case"