Identifier: devonshirestreet00walt (find matches)
Title: Devonshire street; a collection of facts and incidents together with reproductions of illustrations pertaining to an Old Boston street
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Walton, Perry, 1865-1941 Second National Bank (Boston, Mass.)
Subjects: Streets
Publisher: Boston, Mass., Printed for the Second national bank (under the direction of the Walton advertising & printing co.)
Contributing Library: Boston College Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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and it stood at the head ofthe Market, or Great Street of the town, as State Street was thencalled, and was directly opposite the first church, which stood onthe southeasterly corner of Devonshire Street, the present siteof the Brazier Building. His land, comprising about an acre, fronted on the Market, orState Street, and on the north ran down to the cove at Dock Square,the landing-place of the town. At one time he and his neighborcomplained strenuously to the town fathers of the way in whichthe fishermen left the remnants of their catch on the shore of hisland, to the great annoyance of his nose. His house, as were allthose of the early settlers, was at first only a rude shelter fromthe weather. When it was burned, he built a better house; and,when this was burned, he built again. As John Endicott wroteto John Winthrop, Jr., April 18, 1653, Boston had a great fire,—eight howses were consumed and three young children burnt. . . (among them) Mr. Wilsons howse and goods, etc. He bore
Text Appearing After Image:
,.,, ^: 10 NORTH SIDE OF STATE STREET AT THE CORNER OF WILSONS LANE,NOW DEVONSHIRE STREET, IN 1840. (From an old wood engraving) 14 DEVONSHIRE STREET the affliction of these fires with true Christian resignation; for,when accosted on the street one day with Sir, I have sad news for you. While you have been abroad,your house has burned, he replied,— Blessed be God, he has burned this house because he intendsto give me a better. . It is strange that the whole town was not burned up, for mostof the chimneys were then built of wood and the roofs coveredwith thatch. An early ordinance directed that no chimneysin future be so built. Wilson was quite a politician as well as a preacher, and enteredthe contest between Sir Harry Vane and John Winthrop withmuch ardor, even going to the extent of climbing a tree andaddressing the people on political rights, from a bough sway-ing over their heads. He was instrumental in the banishment ofAnn Hutchinson and in the forcing of Sir Harry Vane from of

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