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Gc 974.402 F555e 1242345
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01095 5182
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/fitchburgmassach00inemer
ALVAH CROCKER.
F
ITCHBURG
MASSACHUSETTS
: AST AND
: RESENT
BY WILLIAM A. EMERSON
AUTHOR OF EMERSON'S HAND-BOOK OF WOOD ENGRAVING, AND HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF DOUGLAS, MASSACHUSETTS.
ILLUSTRATED
FITCHBURG: PRESS OF BLANCHARD & BROWN ISS7.
CONTENTS.
1212345
CHAPTER I.
DESCRIPTIVE. Location-Situation and extent-Boundaries-Attractive features-Natural and other advantages-Churches and schools- Fitchburg as a railroad center. 17-21
CHAPTER II.
FITCHBURG OF THE PAST. Its appearance in 1830-In IS35-Main street in 1800-Description of the town in 1764-Early settlers-Capture of the Fitch family by the Indians-Their ransom-Question of the town being named for John Fitch settled-Earliest Indian episode- Mrs. Rowlandson's account. 22-29
CHAPTER III.
CITY GOVERNMENT. Administration of municipal affairs-Present officers -Sketches of mayors-Sketches of present officers-Police depart- ment-Fire department-Highway department-Poor department- List of aldermen and common councilmen from the time the city was incorporated.
30-58 rì
CHAPTER IV.
EDUCATIONAL. Schools-School committee-Teachers-High School as- sociation-Principals of the High School-Superintendent of schools -History of the Fitchburg Public Library-Description of the Wallace Library and Art Building. 59-75
CHAPTER V.
PROFESSIONAL. Sketches of Fitchburg doctors, past and present- Sketches of present lawyers-Medical organizations. · 76-96
CHAPTER VI.
LITERARY AND ARTISTIC. Sketches of Fitchburg authors and artists. 97-1IS
CHAPTER VII.
MILITARY. History of the Fitchburg Fusiliers-Washington Guards- Sixth Regiment Infantry, M. V. M .- Fitchburg in the Rebellion- Incidents-In rebel prisons-Close of the war-Soldiers' Monu- ment. 119-152
CHAPTER VIII.
ORGANIZATIONS. Fitchburg Military Band-Edwin V. Sumner Post 19, G. A. R .- E. V. Sumner Relief Corps, No. 1-Clark S. Simonds Camp, No. 28, S. of V .- E. V. Sumner Building Association- Sketches of past commanders Post 19, and department commanders -Taylor Union, No. 1-Secret and benevolent societies-Other orders-Temperance societies-Worcester North Agricultural So- ciety-W. C. T. U .- Y. M. C. A .- Benevolent Union-Agassiz Association-Home for Old Ladies-Union Aid Hospital-Fitch- burg Clubs.
153-180
XII
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
PAPER MAKING. Crocker, Burbank & Co .- Rodney Wallace-Wheel- wright and Falulah Paper Mills.
ISI-192
CHAPTER X.
MANUFACTURING. The Parkhill, Cleghorn and Orswell Mills-Fitchburg Cotton Mill-Fitchburg Duck Mill-Berwick and Baltic Mills-The Wachusett, Fitchburg Worsted and Star Worsted Mills-Shoe and Shoe Tip manufacturing-Walter Heywood Chair Manufactur- ing Co .- Fitchburg Carbonized Stone and Pipe Co .- E. A. Good- rich Brick yard. 193-205
CHAPTER XI.
IRON INDUSTRIES. Putnam Machine Co .- Fitchburg Machine Co .- Geo. F. Simonds, Simonds Manufacturing Co. and Simonds Rolling-Ma- chine Co .- Fitchburg Steam Engine Co .-- C. H. Brown & Co .- Burleigh Rock Drill Co .- R. A. Leonard-D. M. Dillon-Heywood, Wilson & Co.'s Foundry-Rollstone Iron Foundry-M. J. Perault's Iron Foundry-William A. Hardy's Brass Foundry-Fitchburg Manufacturing Co .- Other Fitchburg inventors and machinery manufacturers.
206-227
CHAPTER XII.
COMMERCIAL. National Banks and Savings Institutions of Fitchburg- Post-Office-Insurance Companies-Fitchburg Gas Co .- Wachusett Electric Light Co .- Fitchburg Street Railway Co .- Board of Trade -Grain Mills-Opera House-Business houses. 228-259
CHAPTER XIII.
JOURNALISM IN FITCHBURG. A history of newspapers and magazines that have been published in Fitchburg. . 260-279
CHAPTER XIV.
BIOGRAPHICAL. Sketch of Ivers Phillips-Stephen Shepley-Goldsmith F. Bailey-C. H. B. Snow-L. H. Bradford-Charles A. Priest. 280-289
CHAPTER XV.
CHURCHES AND HOMES. History of Fitchburg churches and sketches of their pastors-Homes of Fitchburg. 290-312
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PORTRAITS.
Alvah Crocker. Frontispiece Amasa Norcross, opposite page 31
Horace M. Kendall, opposite page 40 46
Henry A. Willis,
Eugene T. Miles,
32
Henry Jackson,
"
46
Hiram A. Blood,
66
66
34
Walter A. Davis,
46
David H. Merriam,
36
Chas. H. D. Stockbridge, =
46
William H. Vose,
66
36
John D. Kielty,
46
Eli Culley,
66
36
Henry F. Rockwell,
66
52
Frederick Fosdick,
66
40
David W. Tinsley, S. S. Holton,
52
David M. Dillon,
66
40 John J. Sheehan,
66
52
James F. D. Garfield,
¥
40
Aaron F. Whitney,
52
Henry M. Choate,
10 Mrs. Caroline A. Mason,
66
98
36
Edward P. Pierce,
66
46
Alonzo Davis,
39 John E. Kellogg, 66
52
Frank A. Wood,
40
52
John Parkhill,
PORTRAITS.
XIII
Col. A. J. H. Duganne, opposite page 106
Fred A. Currier,
opposite page 239
240
Surgeon Chas. H. Rice, "
..
127
George M. Bowker,
66
240
Maj. Thos. H. Shea,
127
Patrick B. Purtill,
66
240
Capt. Tristram W. Sheldon, 127
Charles E. Wallace,
¥
240
2d Lieut. Frank A. Greer,
66
127
Eugene Forest,
66
240
Col. Edwin Upton,
127
Charles F. Lamb,
66
240
Capt. J. H. Kirby,
66
127
Festus C. Currier,
66
244
Rev. G. R. W. Scott, D.D.,
128
Dr. George Jewett,
66
66
246
Fitchburg Military Band,
Joseph Cushing,
248
Charles H. Foss,
66
160
Ilenry A. Goodrich,
250
Walter A. Eames,
=
¥
160
Col. Ivers Phillips,
66
280
R. O. Houghton,
66
160
Nathaniel Wood,
66
286
Edward B. Macy, S. B. Farmer,
66
160
Goldsmith F. Bailey,
66
66
286
Geo. E. Goodrich,
¥
160
Dr. Alfred Hitchcock,
¥
286
John F. Bruce,
Rev. George Trask,
66
286
James Cuthbert,
66
=
160
L. H. Bradford,
66
66
286
Edward P. Loring,
60
160
John W. Kimball,
"
168
George Reed,
66
"
286
J. A. Battles,
66
"
172
Samuel Burnap,
66
288
Rodney Wallace,
E. M. Dickinson,
Rev. S. L. Blake, D. D., "
66
294
Walter Heywood,
Rev. Frank Rector,
66
294
Salmon W. Putnam,
66
213
Rev. P. J. Garrigan,
66
294
C. H. Brown,
66
219
Rev. F. O. Hall,
294
C. H. Brown, Jr.,
¥
219
Rev. H. L. Jones,
66
294
F. E. Brown,
66
:
219
Rev. C. S. Brooks,
66
294
J. F. Brown,
66
=
220
Rev. W. W. Baldwin,
66
66
294
Ebenezer Torrey,
=
229
Rev. J. L. Tarpey,
66
294
O. H. Lawrence,
66
66
232
VIEWS.
Residence of O. H. Lawrence,
17
The Boulder, Rollstone Hill,
18
Monoosnoc Brook,
18
Residence of Rodney Wallace,
. 19
Residence of James Phillips, Jr.,
19
Union Passenger Depot,
20
Map of Fitchburg in 1830,
23
Location of the four roads,
25
Garrison of David Page,
25
Reuben Gibson House,
26
Joseph Spofford House,
26
Fitch Monument, Ashby,
27
Inscription on the Fitch Monument,
27
Elevation of City Water Works,
51
Old Academy Building,
62
High street High and Grammar Schools,
63
66
"
160
Stephen Shepley,
160
Dr. Peter B. Snow,
286
Sidney Sibley,
66
160
C. H. B. Snow,
66
66
286
Ira G. Wilkins,
Charles Mason,
167
John Lowe,
286
Dr. A. W. Sidney,
176
Charles A. Priest,
Rev. W. H. Pierson,
294
George F. Simonds,
66
206
Rev. W. W. Colburn,
294
Henry Allison,
230
Rev. C. Beaudoin,
¥
294
$6
160
L. J. Brown,
253
Capt. John B. Proctor,
66
127
Frank J. Dwyer,
240
Ist Lieut. Walter F. Page,
127
John F. Shea,
Col. Henry G. Greene, 66
127
Albert S. Pierce,
.
.
.
66
219
Rev. F. T. Pomeroy,
294
Charles Burleigh,
66
160
286
Daniel C. Putnam,
286
ISS
201
202
286
I 54
T. L. Barker,
240
XIV
VIEWS.
Wallace Library and Art Building,
69
Interiors, Wallace Library and Art Building,
70
Group of Relics, 72
Residence of Charles T. Crocker, .
90
Residence of Mrs. Salmon W. Putnam,
90
Residence of Charles Mason,
100
Badge of Co. F, 25th Regiment,
134
The Court House,
. 151
Monument Square,
15I
Christ Church,
.
15I
Grand Army Badge,
1 56
Grand Army Cottage,
. I 58
Home for Old Ladies, .
177
Office of Crocker, Burbank & Co.,
· 182
Crocker, Burbank & Co.'s Brick Mill,
183
Crocker, Burbank & Co.'s Stone Mill,
184
Crocker, Burbank & Co.'s Hanna Mill,
185
Crocker, Burbank & Co.'s Lyon & Whitney Mill,
. 186
Fitchburg Paper Co.'s Mills,
191
Parkhill Manufacturing Co.'s Mills, Circle street,
. 194
Parkhill Manufacturing Co.'s Mills, Factory Square,
195
Cleghorn Mills,
. 196
Orswell Mills, ·
197
Fitchburg Worsted Co.'s Mill,
. 199
E. M. Dickinson's Shoe Factory,
200
Works of Putnam Machine Co.,
208
Works of Fitchburg Machine Co.,
211
Works of Simonds Manufacturing Co.,
214
Works of C. H. Brown & Co.,
218
Rollstone Iron Foundry,
224
Crocker Block, .
231
Fitchburg Savings Bank Block, .
233
Board of Trade Seal,
246
Cushing Mill,
. 248
Washburn & Woodward's Mill,
248
Interior of H. A. Goodrich & Co.'s Store,
251
Stiles' Block,
2 52
L. J. Brown Block,
2 54
Webber's Block,
2 57
Proctor's Block,
. 259
Emory's Block,
259
Fitchburg Hotel and Printing Office,
. 261
Sentinel Building,
269
First Baptist Church,
. 293
New Methodist Church,
296
New Universalist Church, .
299
Rollstone Congregational Church,
302
Residence of Mrs. Eugene T. Miles,
. 306
Residence of John Parkhill, (Vose estate,)
306
J. Holland's Residence, 1840,
· 307
Residence of Henry A. Goodrich,
308
Residence of Dr. Thomas Palmer,
309
Residence of Henry Allison, .
310
Residence of Dr. A. W. Sidney,
. 310
Residence of Dr. Charles H. Rice,
310
Cottage of E. E. Howard, .
. 3II
Twin Cottages, Charles street,
31I
.
.
.
.
.
TO THE READER.
It should be borne in mind that mention of present time refers to the fall of 1887, at which time the manuscript was revised and ready for publication.
In the preparation of this volume the compiler has relied to some extent upon previous publications, and in addition to the acknowledgment of their use would mention the Fitch- burg Sentinel, the files of which have furnished, editorially or otherwise, what are believed to be reliable and impartial statements relating to the varied interests of the city and its representative men. His labor has been also very materi- ally lightened by the cheerful and ready assistance of per- sonal friends, and by having free access to the Public Li- brary at all times, through the kindness of the librarian, P. C. Rice, and his assistants. In this connection he would also refer with pleasure to Edmund Barton, librarian of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester ; to James F. D. Garfield, who furnished the chapter on journalism entire ; and to Lewis H. Bradford, Henry A. Willis, Joseph G. Edgerly, Frederick A. Currier, Eben Bailey and John W. Kimball, who have in various ways rendered him most valuable ser- vice.
To these and all others who have in any way contributed to the advancement of the work, he would tender his grate- ful acknowledgments, and in conclusion would say that an honest effort has been made to obtain information from au- thentic sources, and to give without partiality or favoritism the part that each in his own way and in his own special department has contributed to the general prosperity and wealth of the community.
-
RESIDENCE OF O. H. LAWRENCE, SUMMER STREET.
CHAPTER I.
DESCRIPTIVE.
IIE city of Fitchburg is situated in the north-eastern part of Worcester county, on a branch of the Nashua River and at the junction of the Fitchburg, Cheshire, Fitchburg & Worcester, and Old Colony Railroads. It is about forty-seven miles north-west from Boston, twenty-four north from Worcester, and thirty west from Lowell. The township is in form almost a parallelogram, being about six and one-half miles long by four and one-half miles broad, and contains a little less than eighteen thousand acres. It is bounded on the north by Ashby, east by Lunen- burg and Leominster, south by Leominster, and Westminster, and west by Westminster and Ashburnham.
The general surface of the township is extremely uneven, there are spurs of hills running in all directions, seemingly thrown up at random by the hand of nature, many of which are very abrupt and of considerable magnitude. These hills and corresponding valleys afford much picturesque scenery to the observer from the highlands.
The finest view of the city and surrounding country can be obtained from the top of "Rollstone," a hill of solid
2
18
FITCHBURG, PAST AND PRESENT.
granite rising three hundred feet above the river to the south-west ; on the very summit of this hill, standing out in bold re- lief against the sky, is the boulder, a round mass of rock forty-five feet in circumference. The view from the top of Rollstone is well worth the trouble taken in making TRE BOULDER the ascent; at the feet of the observer lies the city, forming almost a semi-circle, wooded hills arise on all sides, Wachusett seven miles distant rears its imposing pile in the south-west, while big Watatic over- tops its brethren in the north-west. Nearly opposite Rollstone is Pearl Hill, a very considerable elevation, one side of which rises abruptly in the form of a precipice. The Pearl Hill road furnishes one of the many pleasant drives around the outskirts of the city, and is thoroughly appreciated by citizens and visitors.
Whitman's River and Nookagee Brook enter the town of Fitchburg from the west, but soon unite and form the Nashua River, which winds through a rocky valley, flanked by steep and rugged eminences, to the city, and then by a southerly course leaves the city near its south-eastern corner.
Monoosnoc Brook in the southern borders of the town. with its cascades and falls, swollen by the spring rains, pre- sents an appearance both wild and picturesque. The farms of Fitchburg are most of them located on the outlying hills, and although there are scarcely any meadow lands to be found in the limits of the town, yet there is very little poor or waste land. In general the soil is excellent, both for tillage and grazing.
RESIDENCE OF RODNEY WALLACE, PROSPECT ST.
RESIDENCE OF JAMES PHILLIPS, JR., MAIN ST.
19
DESCRIPTIVE.
The most level land is alongside the Nashua River, which runs through the thickly settled portion of the city, and upon which its principal manufacturing establishments are located.
The city is well and compactly built on or in the vicinity of one principal street or thoroughfare extending along the valley of the Nashua River, and called Main street. The city tends to increase along the course of the valley mainly, although now the surrounding slopes are fast becoming cov- ered with dwellings. There are many handsome residences and fine estates in and around the city, a few of which are represented in the concluding chapter.
In the heart of the city are three parks, the upper and lower commons, with their band stands for evening concerts during the summer months, and Monument Park, directly opposite the Wallace Library and Art Building, in the centre of which stands the handsome monument dedicated to the fallen heroes of the Rebellion. In the outskirts of the city, at the eastern terminus of the horse railroad, are the fair grounds and adjacent land, recently bought by the Park Company, to be improved and beautified as a public park.
Fitchburg is fortunate not only in natural location and surroundings, but is kept inviting and healthy. Its streets are well lined with shade-trees, the water supply is pure and abundant, the police force prompt and efficient in enforcing the laws under a prohibitory city government, and the fire department thoroughly organized, and supplemented by the . fire alarm telegraph and telephone furnish protection to property. The streets are well lighted with electric lights and gas. The letter-carrier system is in operation, and con- venient means of transit to the extreme limits of the city is furnished by the street railway. The churches and schools are numerous and flourishing.
In addition to its local advantages, Fitchburg is an im- portant railroad centre, and is located on the Hoosac Tunnel Line. More than fifty passenger trains daily arrive at the union depot, and the traveler who desires to reach New York, Boston, Providence, Fall River and New Bedford, or
20
FITCHBURG, PAST AND PRESENT.
local stations between the points, may take trains almost any hour in the day. The Fitchburg railroad runs eleven pas- senger trains to Boston every week-day, and five to Green- field and North Adams. Through trains leave Boston via Fitchburg and North Adams for Saratoga Springs, this route being twenty-five miles shorter from the "Hub" to the famous Spa than any other route. Fast through trains are also operated by this line to Chicago, St. Louis, and all points West. The Cheshire Railroad is operated between
UNION PASSENGER DEPOT.
Fitchburg and Bellows Falls, Vt., and in connection with the Fitchburg and Central Vermont offers a through line to all Canadian points and all points in Vermont, and is the shortest line from Boston to Lake George. The Northern Division of the Old Colony Railroad terminates at Fitchburg, and furnishes four daily trains to Boston and also to the principal cities of Southern Massachusetts. The Fitchburg and Worcester Division affords ample means of communica- tion between the shire towns of the county.
21
DESCRIPTIVE.
The union passenger station used by all these roads in common is a commodious building and an ornament to the city.
Among the other public buildings may be mentioned the City Hall, a large brick structure, the whole upper story of which is devoted to a hall-the largest in the city, the first floor to the city offices and the basement story to the police station ; the county Court House, a stone building of noble proportions, in the rear of Monument Square, built in 1871 : the American House, opposite the depot: the Fitchburg Hotel and Rollstone House, are prominent landmarks on Main street : Whitney's Opera House, the only theatre in town : the county Jail in South Fitchburg : the High School on High street, built in 1869; the Post-Office building, a neat and substantial brick edifice, opposite the Baptist church, the post-office occupying the lower floor and the upper portion devoted to the Board of Trade, Park Club, and offices. The finest public edifice in the city is the Wallace Library and Art Building. the gift of Hon. Rodney Wal- lace to the city : it occupies one of the best locations on Main street, looking out upon Monument Park.
The principal business buildings are the Fitchburg Sav- ings Bank Block. Rollstone National Bank Building, Wa- chusett National Bank Building, the L. J. Brown, Coggs- hall & Carpenter's, Belding's, Dickinson's, Holgate's, Cushing's, Hatch's, Crocker's, Knights of Honor, Wixon's, Stiles's, Emory's and Proctor's all on Main street, and Union, Goodrich's and the new Cushing block (not yet completed) on Day street.
CHAPTER IL.
FITCHBURG OF THE PAST.
AVING given a verbal description of the city of Fitchburg in 1887, let us for a moment glance at the village as it appeared but a little more than fifty years ago. No better idea of its transformation since that time can be conveyed than that given by Eben Bailey in his pen picture of the village of Fitchburg in 1830, which appeared in the "Worcester County History," in which he says, "There were quite a number of houses on West and Mechanic streets, but not a single house on the north side of Main street, between a point just below the present residence of Ebenezer Torrey and the house owned by Oliver Fox, Esquire, near the corner of Main and Prichard streets (this latter not then being laid out). There were at that time in Fitchburg 325 dwelling houses, two meeting houses, one academy, twelve school houses, one printing office, two woolen mills, four cotton mills, one scythe manufactory, two paper mills, four grist mills, ten saw mills, three taverns, two hat manufacto- ries, one bellows manufactory, two tanneries, two window- blind manufactories, and one chair manufactory."
"In 1835 the appearance of the village was somewhat as follows : We should find a store on the corner of Main and River streets, and further down, not far from the common, the Baptist church, in the basement of which was a book-
23
FITCHBURG OF THE PAST.
store and bindery. Near the head of the common was the Unitarian church, used for town meetings and public pur- poses. On the corner of Main and Rollstone streets was the orthodox church, and just below a grocery store, over which was the tailor shop of Daniel Cross, while further down was the tavern, situated on the site of the Fitchburg Hotel. Just beyond the tavern was a store and in the rear of it the printing office. On the other side of the street, where the store of E. M. Read now is, was the store of Benjamin Snow & Son, and just above, in the building where is now
LOWE
AYLOR
No:12
VAIL RUA
GRANITE
HILLER
BURBANK
MAP
BURBANK PAPER MILL
FITCHBURG,
1030.
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the barber shop of D. W. Hilton, was a hardware store. Above was the Fitchburg Bank and a tavern on the present site of the Rollstone House. There were perhaps forty dwellings in the upper portion of the village. There was a cotton mill where is now the mill of B. M. Pitts and the woolen mill in Factory square was substantially the same as is the present factory of the Fitchburg woolen mill company (recently sold to the Parkhill manufacturing company). In Newton Lane there was a cotton factory. In the Old City there was a store in the rear of the present store of I. C.
24
FITCHBURG, PAST AND PRESENT.
Wright, and there were about a dozen dwelling houses. There was also the stone cotton mill on Laurel street, and a paper mill on Water street. There were a number of stone bridges and a dozen dams on the Nashua. There was stage communication daily with Boston, Keene and Lowell, and stages left three times a week for Springfield and Worcester. There were mail-stages which answered to our express trains and there were also accommodation stages between Fitch- burg and Boston. Those were halcyon days for hotel keep- ers and the stage driver was a man of importance."
For the following brief description of Main street, as it appeared in 1800, we are indebted to Mrs. Harriet Kimball, widow of Alpheus Kimball and mother of A. P., William and Gen. J. W. Kimball, and Mrs. Richard H. Torrey.
Mrs. Kimball is now in her 98th year and is the oldest person in Fitchburg, having resided here about 90 years. Her memory and mental faculties are remarkably well pre- served and she remembers the location of the buildings along Main street at the beginning of the present century.
She says, "at that time the first house on the main road west of the Lunenburg line was situated on what is known as the Dr. Palmer place, nearly opposite the residence of E. A. Goodrich, on that part of the road which is now called Summer street. 'The next house occupied what is now the American House corner and there were no houses, now standing, between that and the Safety Fund Bank (Crocker Block). An ancient soap shop occupied the present site of Crocker Block, and was known as 'Old Potash.' West of that there were no other buildings until near where the Rollstone House now stands. The street was unpaved and there were no sidewalks and very little fence on either side of the street."
Going still further back in the history of the town to the time of its incorporation in 1764, the people subsisted chiefly by farming, using the crudest implements of husbandry. The population at that time was about 250. The roads were few in number and poorly constructed, many of them merely bridle paths, and most of the travel was on horseback. The
25
FITCHBURG OF THE PAST.
Nashua river was considered a curse to the place, and the valley through which it run was shunned by the early settlers. The art of construct- APPLE TALE ing durable bridges was not understood in those days, and it was generally thought that Fitchburg could never be a flourishing place on account of the destructive freshets and con- sequent expense of maintaining and keeping in repair the roads and bridges. The accompany- SOUTH ing engraving is given, showing the location of the four principal SICHBURG, streets leading through the town BECALIOM at that time. Following still FOUR ROAD'S further back to the first settle- ment of the town we find that the first settler within the limits of Fitchburg was one David Page, who lived in the vicinity of Pearl street. His dwell- ing was built of logs and surrounded by a stockade of sticks of timber driven closely together as a protection against the incursion of savages, and to add to its convenience and safety in case of siege he made a covered channel by which a small brook was con- ducted for quite a dis- tance underground and FARRIS through the garrison. sup- ON OF DAVID PAGE - PEARL STREET. plying it with pure water.
Torrey's History refers to David Page as one of a large family of children of Governor Page, and states that he after- ward removed to the northerly part of Vermont. An elderly gentleman of Lunenburg, from whom the facts were obtained
26
FITCHBURG, PAST AND PRESENT.
in 1835, relates the following : "This Page, having a roving disposition and a speculative cast of mind, took it into his head, when quite young, that he could make more money by trading with the Indians, than by cutting down forest trees and cultivating the soil. Accordingly, he directed his course towards Canada, and com- menced purchasing bea- ver and otter skins of the ignorant natives upon this principle,-that his foot weighed just four pounds and his hand one pound. REUBEN GIR SON HOUSE PEARL HILL BUILT IN 1744 This they seemed to doubt, but were soon satisfied by his making the declaration that it was as fair for one party as the other, since he weighed off to them, by the same weights, his powder, tobacco, shot, etc. This grand field for making an honest living was, however, soon closed : for some other traders coming that way, explained the trick to the Indians, and the Old Governor's speculating son had to decamp very suddenly-weights and all-to save his life."
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