User:Thedrmike/CatIsland

Children’s Island (formerly known as Cat Island) is a 15 acre island located one mile northeast of Marblehead Harbor owned by the Marblehead/Swampscott YMCA. The YMCA has run the Children's Island Day Camp on the island since 1955.

Children's Island has had numerous names, including Catta, Catt, Cat, Lowell, and Pollard; for most of history, it was called Cat Island. Speculations about its name in the 1700s were that Catta was a corruption of Cotta, referring to Robert Cotta who was an early Marblehead native. However, no evidence links Mr. Cotta to the island in any way.

Written reference to Children's Island first appears in 1655 when "...the iland called Catta Iland...lying neere to Marble Head [sic]..." [Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England; 3:389] was granted to Governor John Endicott by the General Court of Massachusetts. Prior to 1655, it is likely that this and other local islands served as a source of smooth rocks for ship ballast, as a site for grazing animals, and as a source of timber for ship building. In June 1629, Reverand Francis Higginson notes, "we passed the curious and difficult entrance into the large and spacious harbour of Naimkecke, [Salem] and as we passed along it was wonderful to behould so many islands replenished with thicke woods and high trees and many fayre green pastures. (sic)" [Hutchinson's Collection of Papers, p41]. Although not specifically named by Higginson, Children's Island is presumably one of these wooded islands.

Upon the Governor's death in 1665 "Catta Island, at Salem, which the Generall Court gave mee...(sic)" [The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol. XV 1861] was bequeathed to his wife and two sons, John and Zerubbabel. In 1684, according to Zerubbabel's will, the island was referred to as Cotta Island, again for unclear reasons: "Cotta Island or any other land belonging to me..." [Essex Reg. Deeds, XII fol. 168] be left to his children, who sold it to Richard Reade of Marblehead in 1687. At this time, the deed transfering possession of the island refers to Catt Island. [Essex Reg. Deeds, CXV fol. 103] Around this time the first documentation of a "house and woods" [Essex Reg Deeds, vol LXXVIII, fol. 121] on the island is made, though who built it and when is not known. In 1746, Samuel Reade sold "...that island called and known by the name of Catt Island lying in the harbour of Marblehead with ... the house thereon" [Essex Deeds, book 78, p121] to John Oliver and Joseph Willson.

Essex Hospital In June, 1773, Marblehead was stricken by an epidemic of smallpox. A typical response to the outbreak was undertaken by town officials, including daily surveillance of the inhabitants by a Committee of Inspection, fencing off of infected areas, moving infected people to pesthouses, inspecting cargo arriving into the town, and limiting out of town visitors. Some forward-thinking townspeople argued in favor of innoculation of the disease; diluted, contaminated material (pus) from a person with mild disease would be injected into a healthy person who would, with hope, develop a very mild case of the disease, fully recover, and then be immune. However, most people at the time were terrified of and vehemently opposed to the practice.

On August 9, 1773, a Town Meeting in Marblehead was held to debate the construction of a public innoculation hospital on one of the islands outside Marblehead Harbor. The proposal was rejected, but the majority did agree to allow a private funding of a hospital, provided that the Marblehead Selectmen could regulate it. [The Journals of Ashley Bowen]. On August 17, a petition to build a private innoculation hospital on an island was sent to Governor Hutchinson who approved the measure. The "proprietors" of the future Essex Hospital were four popular Marblehead political figures: John Glover, Jonathan Glover, Azor Orne, and Elbridge Gerry; they purchased Children's Island (still known at time as Catt Island) on September 2, 1773. Despite permission to build an innoculation hospital having previously been granted, the decision remained contentious. Many Marbleheaders feared that the innoculation process would cause new outbreaks of the disease, and that the hospital itself would scare off merchant ships arriving at Marblehead and Salem Harbors. Some oppononents of the hospital also denigrated the plan as a get-rich scheme by the proprietors. In response to the fear, the town selectmen prescribed strict rules, to which the proprietors agreed. On October 5, "The Rules and Regulations of the Essex Hospital on Catt Island" were published in the Essex Gazette, a local newspaper of the time, to help alleviate concern. Guards were to be posted on the island to ensure no one would come ashore without a permit, and no one would leave the island without a health clearance from a physician. No boat other than the hospitals' were to approach the island, and they were to dock only at approved locations within the harbor. People on the island were not to approach the island landing, and a fence would separate areas where supplies were dropped off from areas used by people on the island.

By early October, the hospital and a shifting-house were completed. Upon arriving on a beach at the northwest part of the island, the new patients would enter the clean room of the small, one-story shifting house where they left a clean set of clothes to be worn upon departing. Another room in the building, the shifting-room was where at the end of their island stay they would strip, wash, and be fumigated before entering the clean-room and getting dressed in the previously left uncontaminated clothes. The hospital itself, located on the southeastern section of the island, was three stories high, had ten rooms each with four beds, a kitchen, and accommodations for a steward, the physicians, nurses, and their assistants. [Ashley Bowen p. 328]

The proprietors of the hospital employed Dr. Hall Jackson from Portsmouth as hospital superintendant, and Dr. Ananias Randall from Long Island as assistant physician. [Hall Jackson and the Purple Foxglove p 26] The proprietors set a fee "for board, nursing, inoculation, etc., and for the poor which are considerably numerous, inoculation gratis one poor inhabitant for every ten others inoculated." [Essex Gazette, Sept. 28-Oct 5, 1773] Two boats were employed, the Mercury Cruiser to transport people, and the Noah's Ark to transport cattle, sheep, deer, and animal feed. [The Journals of Ashley Bowen. p362]

On October 19,

""...the first class of patients went down to the Essex Hospital. As a number of respectable persons, of both sexes, were in it and the hospital was clear of infection, many gentlemen of the town accompanied it to the island, and the hospital was thronged in every quarter. In the afternoon the house was cleared and Dr. Jackson proceeded to inoculate the patients, being one hundred and three in number...The patients are daily displaying their signal of health [by flying flags] from the middle of the island and all are in high spirits"" [Essex Gazette, 10/19/1773] Among the first class of patients were Captain John Glover and his family, all of whom were inoculated and then remained as volunteers [citation needed]

Ashley Bowen, exemplifying some of the bitter feelings toward the hospital, sarcastically noted in his journal on October 19:

""This day at noon Colonel Orne with a body of volunteers and a number of invalids landed at Cape Pus on the NW end of the Isle of Catt and laid siege to the Castle of Pox, General Jackson, commander-in-chief; General Randall, leftenant general of Castle Pox; Arnaold Martin Esq., chief admiral of the white, in sloop Ashley. Tis supposed this siege will last thiry days. By an expressed from Castle Pox General Jackson had a smart engagement and wounded nearly a 100 of Colonel Orne's body of volunteers the first evening they landed, of both sexes from the age of 3 years to 60 first day, and that General Randall engaged the Colonel himself.""

Since those exposed to smallpox (including recently inoculated) are not contagious for 10 days, visitors were allowed during this time. [Hall Jackson p. 28] On October 29, the Essex Gazette notes "The patients [at Essex Hospital] are indeed confined to a strict regimen; but they may every day be seen walking the island, shooting wild fowl, playing at quoits, etc."

On November 5, 1773 the patients and staff on the island celebrated "Pope's Day" (also known as Guy Fawkes Day ) by lighting tar barrels in a large bonfire on the middle of the island. [Essex Gazette, 11/2-9/1773]

Most of the first class of patients were able to leave the hospital from November 9-11th. On November 15, the second class of patients, also numbering around 100, were inoculated at Essex Hospital. One of the members of this second group was Captain Lowell of Newburyport, who on December 4, 1773 was severely injured while loading a four-pound cannon on the island. Both arms were amputated, one eye was destroyed and the other severely injured, and his upper chest and neck were severely injured. [Essex Gazette November 30-December 7, 1773] Dr. Jackson performed immediate surgery, and Captain Lowell was able to leave the hospital on January 16, 1774. [Ashley Bowen p. 382)As of January 26, he was still alive. [The Essex Journal and Merimak Packet January 26, 1774] The third class of patients were inoculated at the hospital on December 15, 1774.

In early January, a boatload of island patients attempted to land at an unsanctioned area in Marblehead. Many townspeople were upset and a period of disorder and riots ensued. On January 12, the hospital boat Mercury was set on fire. On January 19, four townsmen were caught stealing contaminated clothing from the island and attempting to smuggle them into Marblehead. Presumably, they were hoping to earn condemnation for the hospital by starting an outbreak of Smallpox. The following morning, the four were tarred and feathered and paraded through Marblehead and Salem, a source of much entertainment to those witnessing the spectacle. On 1/14, the proprietor's of Essex Hospital again petitioned the town to assume financial control over the hospital, or to determine if the hospital should remain open. If it were decided to close the hospital, the proprietors requested a committee to disinfect the hospital in a satisfactory manner. The request for the town to purchase the hospital was denied, and it was agreed to close the hospital. A small committee was elected to oversee the disinfection of the hospital.

The success of the hospital was overlooked, however, when in December a fresh rash of smallpox spread through the town; the hospital and its owners became scapegoats, and the hospital was temporarily closed. After the hospital was re-opened, the anti-inoculation group, in an attempt to discourage the use of the hospital, forced the owners to detain the patients for 30 days after their recovery. Despite the waiting period, the hospital continued treat patients. Even though the majority of the town supported the hospital, small bands of angry non supporters harassed the patients and prevented them from using public docks and piers. The hospital boats were burned, and the owners and their families were tormented. The last straw came in early January when four men intent on discrediting the hospital sneaked contaminated clothes from the island into town causing a fresh outbreak of the disease. Although the men were caught, tarred and feathered, the hospital and its staff were blamed. Because of the continuous harassment and threats, the Gerry-Orne-Glover group agreed to permanently close the hospital on January 15, 1774 but demanded that they be given time to sterilize and remove their equipment, clothes, and furniture. However, on March 26, before the owners could salvage any of their belongings, a mob of angry townspeople rowed out to the island, set it on fire, and watched as the hospital burned to the ground. The two people suspected of leading the mob were arrested and put in a Salem jail, but they were soon freed by their supporters who stormed the Salem militia. The four owners were harassed and tormented until they dropped all charges. The owners maintained ownership of the island until 1778 in hopes of recovering money for damages, not only to their hospital and island, but to their personal houses and property, but they were unsuccessful in collecting anything. Disgusted and frustrated, the four owners gave the island away In 1778, the island, now known as Cat Island because of a spelling change, was given to Deacon William Williams, who used it as a place from which to worship. After the Deacon’s death in 1779, the island was sold at an auction to the Fettyplaces, who sold it in 1848 to the Blaneys. The Blaneys kept the property until 1850. Stephen Phillips, the president of the newly formed Salem and Lowell Railroad Company, bought Cat Island in 1850 and formed the Salem Steamboat Company with some friends. This group had hopes of attracting visitors to Salem, who of course would use the Salem to Lowell Railroad thus supporting the business of Phillips’ company. To attract visitors, Phillips and his group constructed a 100 room hotel, complete with a bowling alley and dining room, and offered steamboat excursions to the island through the Salem Steamboat Company. The hotel became a popular place from which to watch the annual Marblehead Regatta and attracted so many visitors from the Lowell area that it became known as the Lowell Island House, and the island on which it was located, Lowell Island. In 1857, Phillips and the others sold the hotel and island to Colonel Pollard, who changed the names to Pollard Hotel and Pollard Island. In 1869, the hotel and island again changed hands and names: back to Cat Island. However, the new owner soon became unpopular and sold the entire establishment to Samuel Rindge in 1878. Samuel Rindge, a merchant/banker from Cambridge, purchased Cat Island for his philanthropic son, who converted the hotel into a hospital. In 1879, after the conversion had been made, the Rindges gave the new hospital to the Sisters of St. Margaret, who ran the West End Nursery and the Infant’s Hospital of Boston. The sisters established the Children’s Island Sanitarium for children suffering from tuberculosis. They hoped that the fresh, salt air, and supportive community would help cure the inflicted children. In 1900, the Boston Community Fund took over the payments for the sanitarium until its closing in 1946. In 1955, the Marblehead-Swampscott YMCA purchased the island and established the Children’s Island Day Camp. Richard W. Searle, "History of Catta Island," in the Essex Institute Historical Collections, Volume LXXXIII, October, 1947 Estes, J. Worth. Hall Jackson And The Purple Foxglove Sister Catherine Louise. The House of My Pilgrimage. History of the American house of the Society of St. Margaret 1873-1973