Historical Society pays homage to Methuen's founders

Jul. 4—METHUEN — As part of the Founding Families Project, members of the Methuen Historical Society board of directors harkened back to what life was like when the city was in its infancy.

During the presentation, board member Sharon Pollard said that in 1722, Stephen Barker requested permission to break away from Haverhill to form a new community.

When Haverhill officials denied his request, Barker appealed directly to William Dummer, the acting governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Dummer approved Barker's request and named the new town Methuen after Sir Paul Methuen, a member of the King's Privy Council and one of Dummer's personal friends.

Methuen's charter was signed by Dummer in September 1725 and the first Town Meeting was held on March 9, 1726.

Board member Ralph Belmonte said at the June meeting Town Meetings were always well attended in those days.

"Most people were more interested in government than they are now," he said.

Tragedy struck in the spring of 1735, when Methuen was gripped by an epidemic known as the Great Throat Distemper.

Board member Bev Brown said the disease originated in Kingston, New Hampshire, when Parker Morgan woke up one morning with what appeared to be a cold.

"By suppertime, the child was dead," Brown said.

During the next five years, 988 children under the age of 15 died from the disease now known as diphtheria.

It was later determined that diphtheria took lives by attacking the respiratory system. Because children had smaller airways than adults, they had the greatest risk of dying from the disease.

Brown said the illness was spread by travelers along Great Bay Road, which spanned from Portland, Maine, to Massachusetts.

The disease was also driven by the lifestyle of children growing up in the 1700s.

"The life of a child in the 18th century fit this disease perfectly," Brown said, adding that a child typically had just two sets of clothes.

She said little was known about the importance of personal hygiene.

"When did they take a bath? Maybe, they fell in the water trough," Brown said.

Dr. John Fitch of Newbury fought valiantly to find a cure for the seemingly impenetrable virus.

"But it came to nothing," Brown said.

She also spoke about the catastrophic consequences when the Howe Family refused to quarantine.

"Eight children died within a week," Brown said. "It was burial after burial."

The distemper then spread to Dorchester and as far south as Pennsylvania before a team of doctors finally brought the virus under control in 1740.

Brown said that group of doctors went on to form an organization that would ultimately become the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Changes had to be made, they couldn't keep living the English lifestyle," she said. "Medicine took a turn for the good."

According to the city's website, Methuen initially became a city in 1917. However, four years later, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the charter was not "appropriately adopted" in accordance with the state's constitution.

Therefore, Methuen returned to its town status and created a charter that included a selectmen/representative town meeting form of government.

The charter remained in effect until 1973, at which time a town manager position was created as well as a Town Council consisting of 21 members.

Methuen reclaimed its status as a city in 1993. For the first time in 74 years, residents elected a mayor and Dennis DiZoglio took office in January 1994. Since then, five other people have followed in his footsteps.