USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Charlton > Charlton historical sketches > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
CHARLTON
UMASS/AMHERST
312066008905447
HISTORICAL SKETCHES,
REV. ANSON TITUS, JR.
F 74 C42T6
REPRINTED FROM SOUTHBRIDGE JOURNAL ..
SOUTHBRIDGE : PRINTED BY GEO. M. WHITAKER,, JOURNAL OFFICE. IS77.
----
F M AS
MHER
DATE DUE
1:54 61649
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY
F
74 C42T6
CARD
CHARLTON
HISTORICAL SKETCHES,
BY
REV. ANSON TITUS, JR.
REPRINTED FROM SOUTHBRIDGE JOURNAL ..
SOUTHBRIDGE : PRINTED BY GEO. M. WHITAKER, JOURNAL OFFICE. 1877.
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MASS.
F 74 CH2TO
CEMETERIES.
The early setlers of Charlton were not rich but hard working. They came from "down the coast" while full of young life and blood to encounter the labors of the frontier. It is not at all strange that they put much of their time upon the soil they were tilling. In regard to the burial places of their dead Whittier, in his poem "The old Burying ground," spoke a general truth.
"The dreariest spot in all the land To death they set apart.
With scanty grace from nature's hand, And none at all from art."
We find many private burial places scattered over cur town. The peo- ple had not the money for extensive outlays upon graves. Headstones with inscriptions were infrequent among the poor and striving, and all were such. So we find but very few inscriptions prior to 1800. This is easily accounted for: it was not because they did not have a mind to honor the places of their dead, but because they did not have the means. The wealthier ones of the community,as they should, did some- thing to indicate the places; but even this remark has many exceptions. Even those abundantly able were neglectful in this matter. The earliest recorded burial we find to be in 1744, the first one in Dresser Hill yaru. There were, without a doubt, earlier burials in other
yards, for this town, then a portion of Oxford, began to be settled some years before this date.
INDIAN HILL BURIAL PLACE.
We mention this at the outset because of the aborigines who lived here before the white people. This hill is opposite of the residence of Elisha Darling. There have been from time to time evi- dences in the shape of Indian tools found, telling us of their haunts in va- rious parts of the town. Well-authen- ticated tradition points to this hill as their burial place. It is a pretty, grace- fully shaped knoll, and one which they would be likely to select. There have been no Indians residing here, to speak of, since the French war; hence this burial place, if such it was, has hardly been used since the settling of our town. Ou the farm of Elisha Darling, on the east side of Prospect Hill, is the ruin of a very ancient cellar, which tradition says was the hut of an Indian. It is in his woods, some twenty-five rods from the railroad. In the middle of the excavation there is a large chestnut tree. A large split rock is near by.
THE MCINTIRE CEMETERY.
Few may know of this burial place in Charlton. It is but a few rods in the rear of the house of R. B. Dodge, Esq., on the land now owned by Frank L.
4
Horn, and in early times was owned by Obediah McIntire, from whom we infer it received this local name. The fami- lies in this section a hundred years ago were mostly McIntires, which fact may add the name still stronger. There are some thirty graves at this spot, from which we infer it was a public burial place. There is now upon it a young growth of timber-the second since the wridls and the third since the first clear- ing unless the bodies were buried in the woods. The underbrush is at this time so dense that it was with difficulty that we found the location. These graves are simply marked with rough head- stones without any inscription whatever, of name, age, or date. This cemetery we can rightfully count among the old- est of the town. The McIntire families were among the very earliest settlers in this community, and without doubt used this in those early times. In only a few more years vestiges of it will be gone, if nothing is done by the town to mark this resting place of some of its founders.
There is also a tomb upon this same farm, in the rear of Mr. Horn's house, on the summit of McIntire IIill. It must have been built prior to this cen- tury. It contains several bodies. When the farm was owned by Varanus John- son, a few years since, for private grat- ification he repaired the tomb some at his own expense. It will have to be repaired again at no distant day. In the absence of all known relatives, it . would be an honorable task for the town to take it in charge.
THE CRANBERRY MEADOW YARD.
This yard was originally the burial place of four or five families in its neighborhood. It is situated on the west road to Spencer from Charlton De- pot, and is a little over a mile from the depot. The north boundary of the yard is the town line between Spencer and Charlton. The land when it began as a burial place belonged to ene David Hammond. It afterwards passed into the hands of his son-in-law, Simon Ward. The families for most part buried here are those of Charles Lamb, Simon Ward, Ebenezer White, and Reuben Newhall. We understand that Mr. Hammond gave the right of burial after it had been used for a long num- ber of years as a cemetery, if these neighbors would put a wall around it. There never was much done to the lot until about 1830, when the wall was erected and a number of stones placed at the heads of the graves. Previous to this time there were no headstones, except the common flat field stones. The earliest marked grave denotes 1803, but we think that prior to that time there were burials. At present there are some 22 headstones, and are visible something like a dozen unmarked graves. Among the number of un- marked graves are those of the orignal donor of the land, and his wife. The yard is surrounded with pine woods and is enlosed with a stone wall. There are pine trees not a few within the en- closure. In this yard are buried Eb- enezer White, who died in 1813; he was one of the early Baptists in town, and had an active influence in sustain
5
ing his church at the North Side Charles Lamb, died in 1843 at the age of 74; Reuben Newhall, died in 1858 at the age of 88.
THE MAJOR DANIEL WILLIAMS LOT.
This is pleasantly situated on the west side of the reservoir between the Depot and City, on land for a long time owned by Major Williams, and now owned by the Hammond brothers. It was made a burial place in 1791, on the death of a young daughter. This was the only grave here for nearly fifty years, when the Major and his wife were buried. The headstone records that Mr. Williams died July 6, 1838, aged 79 years, and that his wife, Marcy, died February 8, 1843, aged 75 years. Major Williams was a public spirited man and did much to encourage the schools of our town. He was a great friend of the youth, and is said to have frequently given many new copper cents to the boys and girls who proved worthy by study and deportment. This gift, though small in value, is still re- membered by our older citizens. This burial place is surrounded with a good wall and nothing is about it to mar the mind in its contemplation.
THE HARVLIN TOWNE YARD
is near the Depot towards the City, in a small clump of pine trees. There is a tomb within the well enclosed yard, and has been kept in good repair. In the tomb are the remains of Mr. and Mrs. Towne, and near by are the graves of Daniel Williams and his wife Mary and their daughter Polly Williams, who died in 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Williams
were the parents of Mrs. Towne. Dan- iel Williams died in 1815, and was first buried on the west side of the road towards the City from the tomb, a few rods up the side hill. When this yard was made his remains were removed.
Mr. Towne was station agent at the Depot from the time the railroad was built (1839) until his death (1869). He was also post-master, express agent, etc., which brought him much in con- tact with the people. In these posi- tions he seems to have given satisfac- tion, if one is to judge by the length of service.
THE PUTNEY YARD.
This yard is generally known as the Barefoot Corner cemetery, and is in school district No. 10. The original owner of the land was Jonathan Put- ney, who gave the right of burial to his several neighbors, using it also for his own family. Mr. Putney died in 1814; the estate was then divided, the home- stead falling to Mrs. Jacob Miller, who a few years after the death of Mr. Miller (1817) married George West. The Putneys, the Millers, the Wests and Searles are buried here, and are in one way and another relations of each other. The oldest marked grave is 1807. There are nearly one hundred graves yet only about fifty of them have headstones.
The Miller and West families have erected a fine monument here which will be for a memorial of their familes. In this yard there was, a half century ago, erected a tomb by three families who resided in that vicinity. The own_
6
ers of this tomb were Elijah and Elna- than McIntire (cousins), and Nathan- iel Burden. Their families were placed in it until some over twenty bodies were within the tomb, when the de- scendants of Elnathan MeIntire took the remains of their relatives out and buried them near by. The others still remain, and without a doubt will soon be buried and the tomb which for a long time has been in a decaying state will be taken down and the place lev- eled away.
In 1835 Mrs. George West, a daugh- ter of Mr. Putney, the original owner, gave a deed of this lot of 116 rods of land to the town, with the right of way from it to the highway. Jonathan Put- ney was in the revolutionary war and came into this town on its close, from Salem. Nathaniel Burden, whose body was buried in the tomb, was also in the revolutionary war, and drew a pension from the government in his age. He died in 1849 at the extreme age of 97.
THE HARVEY DRESSER YARD
On Dresser Hill, but a short distance from the old Dresser homestead, is the burial yard of Harvey Dresser and fam- ily. Harvey Dresser died February 8, 1835, aged 46 years; his widow died a little over a year after, and they were soon followed by two sons and a daugh- ter, who had nearly reached man and womanhood. The Dresser monument is of marble with an urn on its pinna- cle. On this monument are the in- headstones. The earliest one marked scriptions of the family. In the same lot is the grave of Major Jerry Merritt, a brother of Mrs. Dresser, who had been
in partnership with Mr. Dresser some fourteen years. He was the son of Captain Henry Merritt, and died in 1835, aged 39 years.
Harvey Dresser is still remembered in this community. He was an active, publie spirited man. He engaged ex- tensively in manufacturing wagons, chaises, etc., on Dresser Hill. In that day there was a large business carried on in that vicinity, but even in his last years the business was moving away to the water power of Southbridge and the large ยท manufactories of Worcester. Mr. Dresser once owned a large facto- ry in Southbridge. A brief sketch of his life is given in Ammidown's Histor- ical Sketches, Vol. 2, also an engraving of him. This yard is in good order; the fence is of iron with stone posts. The deed of this burial lot is in the possession of Henry Willis, a nephew of Harvey Dresser, now living in Shel- burne Falls, Mass.
THE FITTS BURIAL YARD.
This yard is in school district No. 6, toward a mile south of the school house on the road past the Advent church, on the old Caleb Fitts homestead, now owned by Jeremiah Haggerty. It is the burial lot of Caleb Fitts, together with some relatives and neighbors. The lot is about 30 by 50 feet, and some twenty-five rods from the road, opposite of the house. It contains thirteen graves, five of which are marked by is 1831; so we infer that it was not far from that time that it was laid out. It is well surrounded by a stone wall, but
7
trees and bushes have grown up, owing to the moving away of those most in- terested. Those stones marked show that buried here are Caleb Fitts, who died February 5, 1841, aged 85 years, [his son Caleb was buried at Charlton center]; Rachel, wife of Caleb Fitts, [her maiden name was Patch], died November 14, 1831, aged 68 years; Try- phena Hall, died September 16, 1861, aged 86 years; Eltheusia, wife of Otis Darling, a daughter of Mrs. Tryphena Hall, died December 1, 1866, aged 56 years; Lois, wife of Stephen Belknap, [a sister of Mrs. Fitts], died May 17, 1845, aged 91 years; this stone was erected by Timothy Chase of Belfast, Maine, a son by a previous marriage. Among those whose graves are un- marked, we understand, one is a Leo- nard Fitts, and another a Theodore Hall, who was drowned in one of the ponds of the town.
THE MIXTER BURIAL YARD.
The Mixter homestead is the house now owned and occupied by Albert Stevens. The Mixter property is pos- sessed by several in that neighborhood The burial place of the family is some ten rods from the house, back a little from the road. It is enclosed by a wall and some trees are in the enclosure There are three headstones marking four graves. and there are some six graves unmarked. On one stone is in- scribed, Mr. Ezra Mixter died Decem- ber 30, 1829, aged 75 years; Azurbale, his wife, died March 3, 1816, aged 58 years. The remaining two stones mark the resting place of Rufus Mixter, Esq.,
and his first wife. They are inscribed, Rufus Mixter died March 19, 1845, aged 61 years; Anna, wife of Rufus Mixter, died March 29, 1821, aged 22 years. The remaining graves, without doubt, are members of the early families. Rufus Mixter, Esq., was a prominent man in town affairs, holding many offi- cial positions with credit to himself and the town.
THE JOSEPH MARTIN YARD.
The Joseph Martin farm is on the road leading south, just this side of Buffinsville, something like a half mile. In the yard upon this farm there are but two graves, children of Joseph and Mary Martin, who died in 1827 and 1830 respectively. There is a tomb- stone at each grave. These graves are to the northeast of the ancient house in an open meadow, some fifteen rods from the road.
THE CHASE BURIAL PLACE.
This burial place is on the farm now owned by John Davis, known as the Fletcher Farm, a mile south of Par- ker School House on the Dudley road. It is some seventy-five rods from the road, back of the house, and some five rods from an arm of the Baker Pond, upon a slight knoll of ground. This description is given, and should any one try to find it even with this, he would have to look sharp or he would miss it. If there ever was a fence about it, it is now, and has been for long years, rotted down. The mounds are almost obliterated which should go to show that it was ever a burial place. From inspection we should say it was
8
eighteen feet square and contains some five graves. These graves are of mem- bers of the Chase family, who were among the early settlers of Charlton From the information we can gain we would say that Eleazer Chase and wife, their son Timothy, who lost his leg in the Revolutionary war, and two children of this Timothy Chase, were those buried at this place. The dates of their death we have not learned, nor their ages, but they must have died previous to this century. Just over the town line in Dudley is a Chase burial place, whom, we infer, were the children of this Eleazer Chase. In the deeds given of this place there is a res- ervation of this plot of ground, but in only a few more years and all traces of it will pass from view.
THE CAPT. JONATHAN TUCKER YARD.
This burial place is on the Spencer road leading north from Millward school house some ten rods from the highway. In this yard there are but two graves, one in memory of Mrs. Martha, wife of Capt. Jonathan Tuck- er, who died Nov. 23, 1774, aged 64 years. Near by is that of Capt. Tucker, though there is no marked headstone. The flat is surrounded by a wall with two pine trees within it. Capt. Tucker was a man of prominence in town. He was chairman of the se- lectmen for some years after that sec- tion called the "gore" was definitely fixed to the town.
THE CAPT. JESSE SMITH YARD.
This yard was formerly a part of the Jesse Smith property now owned by Wm. D. Warren, and is a few rods
from the highway leading to Rochdale, near the jrn ture of the road leading to Mr. Warren's house. Capt. Smith gaye the yard to the town in 1826, not long before he died. Mr. Smith died June 21, 1826, aged 68 years, and his widow died in 1848. Capt. Smith was a soldier of the revoiution. Their re- mains together with the remains of his mother are within a well sealed tomb upon this land. At a former time there were many burials here, but one after another the bodies have been removed so that now but few remain, and some of these are soon to be removed. The poor of the town whose remains are unclaimed by the relatives have been buried in one portion of the yard, since it came in possession of the land.
This Capt. Smith's family had no children of their own, so they brought up one Jesse Smith Warren who was heir to the estate, and in turn our es- teemed citizen, Wmn. S. Warren, re- ceived it from his father. Capt. Smith at one time gave a bell to the church at the North-side, on the present site of the school-house, then occupied by the Baptists and Universalists. This bell was cracked on one occasion and was re-cast; which bell is still in use by the school at that place. Mr. Smith also gave a generous donation to the Mill- ward school district of $1000, the inter- est to be used for repairing the build- ing and for giving extra schooling to' the youth of that district. It has been enjoyed by the youth for a half-centu- ry and no doubt has done much bene- fit.
9
CHARLTON CITY YARD.
The Charlton City yard is a propric- tary one. The citizens in that locali- ty felt the need of a new yard just be- fore the war, hence they united to- gether for the purpose of purchasing land and laying out lots. The compa- ny at the outset composed of twenty- eight citizens, was organized May 20, 1856 into the Charlton City Union Cemetery company under the law passed in legislature March 17, 1841. Simeon Lamb, Esq., as justiceof peace called the meeting and gave legality to the same. Simeon Lamb, Esq, was the moderator of the meeting and has been of every annual meeting with one ex- ception. Washington W. White was made secretary of the company, which office he has held to the present time. On the forming of the company, land was purchased of Nathan Walker, and soon laid out into lots under the direc- tion of the trustees. When the compa- ny was well under way they answered to the call of the public in building a vault. This tomb was erected by one Horace Prince in 1859. For the first year or two Francis Ryan acted as sex- ton, since then however, that office has been filled by Seth Carpenter. In 1864 the company received by the will of Benj. Wallis, the sum of $300 to be used in beautifying the place. The company is well organized, and it is for its members to make a beautiful yard. It can be done, but will take means and labor to do it. The mem- bers of it can well afford it. It will abundantly repay in only a few years
The public have very generously pat- ronized this cemetery and it needs but a public spirit to advance its interest farther. The first burials in this yard were the bodies of Waldo Walis, and a Miss Thayer, who were interred the same day. In 1869 a new fence was built about the yard which ad- ded much to the appearance of the place. The meetings of the corpora- tion have ever been held in the vestry of the Methodist church. An accurate survey of the yard was made in 1872 by R. B. Dodge, Esq. In perusing the rec- ords of the corporation we find that many have neglected their financial ob- ligations to it. This ought not to be; if a lot is taken, the lot should be paid for and a deed given, taken and record- ed the same as in other business trans- actions. The corporation no doubt would be ill thought of if they prosecut- ed their claims once in a while, but self- protection may call for it in time. The following is the list of trustees for the present y. ar: Simeon Lamb, David R. Dodge, Erastus Winslow, Jonas Bemis, Elijah R. Carpenter, Jeremiah Newton, Charles D. White.
The following are the By-Laws of the City Union Cemetery Company, adopted May 20, 1856, they being re- ported to the corporation by Simeon Lamb, Esq., W'm. B. Olds and Hiram Willis-a committee chosen for that purpose :
ARTICLE I.
At every annual meeting of the corpora- tion the owners of the lots duly qualified to vote shall elect by ballot five or more trus- tees-all of whom shall be members of the corporation ; and a clerk and treasurer, who shall be one of said trustees, to hold their
10
respective offices for one year and until an election shall have taken place in which they or others shall have been chosen and qualified ; and said clerk shall be sworn to the faithful performance of the duties of his office.
ARTICLE II.
The trustees at their meeting next fol- lowing the annual meeting of the corpora- tion, shall elect one from their number to be president. In all meetings of the trus- tees and corporation, in case of his absence, the senior trustee there present shall pre- side; and in case no trustee is present at a meeting of the corporation a moderator shall be chosen by ballot.
ARTICLE III.
The trustees shall have the management, superintendence and care of the property, expenditure and prudential concerns of the corporation ; may appoint all necessary agents, and shall at every annual meeting present a full report in writing of the state of the funds, property, and affairs of the corporation, with such remarks and recom- mendations as they may think useful.
ARTICLE IV.
The clerk shall record in a book to be kept for the purpose the doings of the trus- tees' corporation - all reports in writing presented to either and such matters as he shall be directed by the trustees to enter.
ARTICLE V.
The books, papers, money and all other property of the corporation shall be deliv- ered over by the trustees, clerk and treas- urer respectively to their successors.
ARTICLE VI.
The annual meeting of the corporation shall be held in the month of March or April in each year, at such time and place in the town of Charlton as the treasurer for the time being shall appoint. Notice of all meetings of the corporation shall be giv- en by the clerk by a notice in writing, post- ed up in some conspicuous place within the City school district in Charlton, seven days at least before the time of holding the same. Special meetings of the corporation shall be called by the trustees upon request made to them in writing by eight or more proprietors; and in the notice thereof the object of the meeting shall be expressed. At all meetings five proprietors shall con- stitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VII.
Every deed of any lot or part of a lot in the cemetery shall be recorded by the clerk in a book provided for the purpose.
ARTICLE VIII.
The treasurer shall, ten days at least pre- vious to the annual meeting of the corpora- tion, report in writing to the trustees a de- tailed account of all receipts and expendi- tures of the investments and of other mat- ters connected with this department.
ARTICLE IX.
The trustees shall fix the price of the lots and no lot shall be less than two hundred square feet of surface; and the original deed thereof shall be executed by the presi- dent of the proprietors, who is hereby au- thorized to execute the same.
ARTICLE X.
A receiving tomb shall be erected in which may be placed the body of any pro- prietor or person of his household, and oth ers by the consent of the trustees whenever the season or other circumstances render it necessary or expedient. But the body shall not remain in said tomb more than six months without a special permit from the trustees.
ARTICLE XI.
Every proprietor of a lot or part of a lot in order to entitle himself to the privilege of a member of the corporation shall pro- cure his deed, to be recorded in the book of the corporation and signify his assent to the charter and by-laws by subscribing his name in a book to be kept by the clerk for that purpose.
ARTICLE XII.
No one but a proprietor of a lot shall be eligible as trustee. and the removal of any person from the town of Charlton shall va- cate his office.
ARTICLE XIII.
It shall be the duty of the clerk whenever directed by the trustees to prosecute any person offending against the act of incorpo- ration for the protection of cemeteries, passed Feb. 23, 1841.
ARTICLE XIV.
Vacancies occurring in any office may be filled at a special meeting of the corporation.
ARTICLE XV.
The books of the records of the corpora- tion shall be considered evidence of the ti- tles and rights of the proprietors so far as the entries therein relate thereto.
ARTICLE XVI.
The By-laws may be altered at any annu- al meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the proprietors.
DRESSER HILL PUBLIC YARD.
This yard is one of the oldest in the town. Through the thoughtfulness of
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.