USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Orange > History of North Orange, Massachusetts : including leading events from the first organization of Orange, 1781-1924. > 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.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
THE HISTORY
OF
NORTH ORANGE
GC 974.402 ₦793h
M. L.
Gc 974.402 N793h 1271570
mit 750
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
L
L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01145 6925
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/historyofnorthor00unse
History of North Orange, Massachusetts, Including Leading
Events from the First Organization of Orange, 1781 -- 1924 Published By North Orange Reunion Association
THE "OLD SENTINEL" SPEAKS
By HELEN KENDALL SANDERSON
What have you seen O, Sentinel Tree? What have you heard? Pray tell it to me.
Unbroken forest from valley to hill, About me, wild animals roamed at will. The moose and the deer were plenty to see, Wild turkeys and pigeons were sheltered by me I heard the eagle go screeching away And the wolf go snarling after its prey. I've seen the savage on this lone trail With scalps in his belt that told a sad tale.
I soon saw a path that the white man blazed And on their log cabins I oft have gazed, The smoke of their clearings floated to me And their ovens outside I soon did see. The sentinel climbed in my branches high To see if the "Redskins" were lurking nigh; The squaw, unaware in my shade drew near Her pappoose to feed without any fear.
The rippling water soon took on a roar As a mill with a dam obstructed the shore, And bridges began to cover the streams Which the settlers crossed o'er with rattling teams. Down a shadowy streamlet wild and lone, I heard Indians making the mortar stone; It is there to-day, though hidden by brush, Where they pounded corn for their daily mush.
Before the water course boasted name, I watched it rippling along just the same; Before even Miller was born I ween, I saw the river-the prettiest seen. Silver Lake is lovely, though partly hid, I saw it before even Babcock did. Old Tully was grand, e'er it had any name; Before the Tullys to live near it came.
I saw a skirmish when a white man fell And soon filled a grave in a lonely dell, A city white is now peopled around Too bad, no record of this has been found. An ancient fort which served the settlers well Was near the old road where my sight could dwell. Down in the village, near the public inn, And on "High Knob," two other forts have been.
1271570
I once belonged to Athol township old, But now, in North Orange I am enrolled. I saw the signal fires from hill to hill Rouse up the settlers, and with anger fill. I saw the Minutemen gather in haste And their long journey they quickly traced, While women defending their homes from harm, Cheerfully lifted the work of the farm.
My highest branches, I have a notion Can just discern the Atlantic ocean, But when British warships to Boston came Smoke soon obscured my sight of the same. I saw a wondrous sight-as down the road Four score yoke of oxen drew their load. From Ticonderog', on forty two sleds Came cannon and things to fight the "Reds."
Gen'ral Knox was sent there for these supplies For Washington needed them, I surmise. To Springfield they passed, fresh oxen to find, Then on to Cambridge where they were assigned. But best I remember the glad jubilation- The "Fourth of July" of the nation.
The "Dark Day" of 1780 I saw, The birds did not sing, the crows did not caw, But counted the day as part of the night While the people were very much filled with fright. Then big covered teams to market were sent And cattle and sheep in droves there went. The towns had driveways, sometimes painted red, Where loads could be housed and the horses fed.
I saw the Irishmen shoveling sand Who lived in sod houses near at hand; Soon shriek of the engine was borne to me And a railroad then puffed its way to B. I've seen the lightning play many a prank. On the old Town Hall its bolts often sank: I saw one descend in the darkest night To Chestnut Hill on Haven's barn to light.
MARTHA E. WARD
Martha Eugenia Ward, daughter of Frederick and Martha Wright Abbott, was born in North Reading, Massachu- setts, February 11, 1848. She received her education in the schools of Boston and the Salem Normal School, being graduated from the advanced course of the latter in 1867. In 1866 she moved with her parents to Lynn, Massachu- setts, where she taught school for six years. She has since made her home there. She was married on August 20, 1874 to Henry Albee Ward of Lynn. For many years, Mr. and Mrs. Ward have been spending their summers in North[ Orange, and Mrs. Ward has taken a keen interest in the community, appreciating its charms and sturdy heritage.
At a meeting of the North Orange Reunion Association held Septem- ber 5, 1923, it was voted to authorize the publication of an historical book to serve as a memorial to its efforts and to the sturdy men and women of North Orange who laid the foundations of the town and builded homes from whence went sons and daughters to achieve success in many fields of endeavor. A committee consisting of Fannie M. Daniels, Martha E. Ward, A. Eddy Brooks, Roy W. French, Mary G. Prentice, Carrie M. Newton, Walter F. Ellis, Solon J. Oliver and Rev. William D. Veazie was appointed to execute this action.
In all human endeavor, individual impetus is essential toaccomplish- ment and the seven last named members of this committee acknowledge and appreciate that element in two of its associates, Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Daniels. The literary ability and interest of the former and fund of in- formation and persistent effort of the latter, have made it possible to compile this historical resume. The book is a mute testimonial of their careful, untiring and generous effort. The articles not signed were written by Mrs. Ward. The book was arranged by Roy W. French and printed by the Enterprise and Journal of Orange.
5 974, 11
FANNIE M. DANIELS
Fannie Morton Daniels, daughter of Moses and Mary Fay Morton, was born in North Orange, Massachusetts, Janu- ary 10, 1851. She has spent all her life in North Orange and Tully. She was married to Samuel F. Daniels, a veteran of the Civil war, who died March 14, 1915. Mrs. Daniels has been secre- tary of the North Orange Reunion Association since 1907 and clerk of the North Orange church and parish since 1903. She is a charter member of the church. Mrs. Daniels has always been an active worker for any worthy project in the community, and this in spite of the fact that ill health during the past few years has made it difficult for her to get about. Her zeal and interest have been felt in many ways.
-
ALONG "MAIN STREET **
Though it's fun to go a-straying Where the bands are nightly playing And the throngs of men and women Drain the cup of pleasure brimmin', I am glad when it is over That I've ceased to play the Rover. And when once the train starts chugging Towards the children I'd be hugging, All my thoughts and dreams are set there; Fast enough I cannot get there.
OVER THERE IS TULLY MOUNTAIN
BACK HOME
By EDGAR A. GUEST
Glad to get back home again, Where abide the friendly men; Glad to see the same old scenes And the little house that means All the joys the soul has treasured- Glad to be where smiles aren't measured, Where I've blended with the gladness All the heart has known of sadness, Where some long-familiar steeple Marks my town of friendly people.
-
''OH WOODMAN SPARE THAT TREE"
Like to be where men about me Do not look on me to doubt me; Where I know the men and women, Know why tears some eyes are dimmin' Know the good folks an' the bad folks An' the glad folks an' the sad folks; Where we live with one another, Meanin' something to each other. An' I'm glad to see the steeple, Where the crowds aren't merely people.
UP ALONG THE COMMON
Guess I wasn't meant for bright lights, For the blaze of red and white lights, For the throngs that seem to smother In their selfishness, each other; For whenever I've been down there, Tramped the noisy, blatant town there, Always in a week I've started Yearning, hungering, heavy hearted, For the home town and its spaces Lit by fine and friendly faces.
LOOKING TOWARD THE TURN IN THE ROAD
FIVE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
May this record of transitions in the life of North Orange tempt many to enter with the com- piler the portals of the temple of Memory and learn how from a wilderness there grew a town fos- tered by men who possessed in a high degree "the characteristics of a typical American-Simplicity, Humor, Honor, Generosity, Religion." It would be impossible in a volume no larger than this to give much more than brief details of the more important changes in conditions and social customs of the town itself, but, guided by State Archives, State Records, County Records, including Probate Records and Registry of Deeds of Hampshire, Worcester and Franklin Counties; Town Records, Church Records, Post Master General's Records, Muster Rolls, State and Military Histories, Family Papers, Letters and Memories of Natives, the compiler has endeavored to give a true chron- icle that will give pleasure to the reader as he lives over the past. Historical papers given at the annual Reunions are also included in the volume. For the good will shown in replies to letters of inquiry, I acknowledge my indebtedness and especially do I thank those who have generously allowed me the privilege of examining cherished family papers and letters. M. E. Wl'ard.
ORIGIN
S FROM the beginning, men have moved on to better their condition, so New England's first settlers had moved on, even across the Atlantic ocean, to better their condition. These pioneers of Massachusetts Bay Colony had planted towns near the coast, consequently as new immigrants arrived, these towns soon became too congested for the pio- neers, who loved land as well as liberty. Therefore, having obtained permission from the General Court, to remove, provided "they should not remove from the jurisdiction of Massachusetts," many of the inhabitants of Cambridge, Watertown, Dorchester and Roxbury, again moved on. Westward through a hundred miles of wilderness they made their way to the Connecticut, that "long, fresh, rich river" of which they had received such favorable reports. Dorchester people went to Windsor, Watertown people to Wethersfield, Cam- bridge people to Hartford and Roxbury people to Agawam, now Springfield. The settlement of Springfield was followed by that of Northampton and Hadley and by 1662 these three towns had so grown that they were constituted a county with Springfield as the shire town. Court was to be held alternately at Spring- field and Northampton. The County was called Hampshire* and included that large section of land extending from "New York on the West into the present County of Worcester on the East and occupying throughout that distance the entire width of Massachusetts." In short, the whole of western Massachusetts came within the limits of Hampshire County. Although the century following the settlement of Springfield brought toil, hardships and the tragedy of Indian warfare to the colonists, settlements continued to be made in the county. Along the Connecticut, the settlements and the new towns laid out extended as far north as Northfield. One of those new towns is now Warwick.
In the meantime the eastern colonists of the Province had pushed their settlements westward and in 1731, some flourishing towns bordering Hampshire's indefinite eastern boundary, were, together with adjoining land, set off as a
* Parts of Hampshire and Worcester Counties were included in the District of Orange.
distinct county named Worcester. It was with some doubt as to the wisdom of his course that Governor Belcher signed the Act constituting Worcester County, for besides the thirteen organized towns in the new County, there was much nn- settled land, mostly "hill country," thought undesirable for new settlements. There were but few valleys. In one of these, the valley of the Pequoiag, now Millers River, there was opened in the year following the ercetion of Worcester County, a new town "of the contents of 6 miles square," and June 26, 1734, at a meeting in Concord, the Proprietors drew their house lots in the new town of Pequoiag.
One of the first localities settled was on West Pequoiag Hill in the north- western part of the town. Here the settlers laid out a long street, (Orange street), 8 rods wide, a little east of the top of the hill and here, near where the Sentinel Elm stands, the settlers built a fort to guard against the attacks of the Indians. The Nipmucks, Indians who were the original owners of the land out of which Worcester County was made, still lingered near the Pequoiag river; also, near the settlement, passed the trail down which came bands of marauding Indians from Canada. The settlers lived in constant fear of the red men, but history records the killing by Indians of but one person in Pequoiag. This person was Mr. Ezekiel Wallingford, one of the Proprietors, who, we are told, was living in the fort in 1746. In his Centennial Address, Rev. S. F. Clarke says: "Sup- posing he heard bears in his cornfield, Mr. Wallingford went out to watch, but he soon discovered that the Indians had deceived him by imitating the noise of bears in the corn and were surrounding him. He immediately turned and attempted to regain the fort about 100 rods distant, but in passing a fence, he was struck by a musket ball which fractured his thigh. The tomahawk and scalping knife put an instant end to his life August 17, 1746." Mr. Wallingford was buried in Mount Pleasant cemetery, Athol.
Mr. Wallingford left a wife, Lydia, and five children. The family soon removed to Concord, Massachusetts. Dr. J. Q. Adams of Marengo, Illinois, once gave an interesting account of the driving of Wallingford's stock to Concord by Jason Babcock. "The distance from Pequoiag to Concord was perhaps 60 or 70 miles as the roads were then traveled and Mr. Babcock received for his ser- vice the sum of four pounds, old tenor. The said stock was comprised of the following described, viz : One farrow cow, valued at 11 pounds; one red heifer, coming
SIX
3, at 9 pounds; one red steer, coming 3, at 7 pounds, 10 shillings; one red steer, coming 2, at 5 pounds; one red cow at 10 pounds." Widow Lydia married Eben- ezer Harris prior to March 2, 1748. As Mr. Wallingford's debts exceeded his personal estate, a petition was entered for the right to sell his land for the "Pay- ment of his debts and the bringing up of his children." In the Acts and Resolves of 1752 it is recorded that "Ebenezer Harris of Lancaster and Lydia are empowered to make sale of said lands" and that the "produce thereof (after the payment of Debts and Taxes due thereon) be applied to the benefit of the within named Wallingford's children." The right to Wallingford's land was bought by Icha- bod Dexter.
The First Meeting House
1762, March 6, Pequoiag was incorporatedas a town with the name of Athol. The Act of Incorporation states that "this Plantation is bounded Northerly on the Plantations of Royashire and Mount-grace." 1763, "Mount-grace," or Gard- ner's Canada, became the town of Warwick; 1765, Royashire became the town of Royalston. If, mentally, we re-establish the old boundary lines of Athol, Warwick and Royalston, we shall find the site of the Meeting-house and the land on the opposite side of the road as far south as the Blodgett homestead, within the limits of Warwick; the Blodgett homestead and the Chapel, in Athol; and the houses of Solon Oliver and Mrs. Clarence Rich, in Royalston. This mental survey gives a definite idea of where the three towns came together and suggests with what inconvenience the inhabitants of these adjacent corners, covered every Sunday the long distance between their homes and the Meeting-house in their respective towns. For the law required these people to attend meeting. Non-attendance subjected them to a complaint for delinquency or, sometimes, to a fine.
The pressure of such conditions brought about a memorable day in the annals of North Orange,-January 1, 1781,- when men from the localities just men- tioned, held a meeting at the house of Benjamin Mayo in Warwick. (This house is now occupied by Adriel White's family.) At this meeting Nathan Goddard was moderator, Nehemiah Ward, clerk, and the following agreement was drawn up:
"We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the adjacent corners of Athol, Warwick and Royalston, being deeply sensible of the great disadvantage we labor under by reason of our great distance from the meeting houses of the several towns to which we belong, and expecting special advantages will acerue to each of us to build a meeting house within the bounds of Warwick, on the southeast corner of Benjamin Mayo's land near Nathan Goddard's west barn-
"Wherefore, we whose names are underwritten do covenant, promise and agree to pay to and for the purpose of building a meeting house in said place the sum affixed to each of our names in this instrument, said sums to be paid in merchantable Rye at four shillings per bushel, or Indian Corn at two shillings, eight pence per bushel, or cash equal thereto, or in timber, nails, etc., to the acceptance of the committee that we hereby appoint to receive the same.
"Moreover, we do covenant, promise and agree that Messrs. John Stow, Edward Ward, Nathan Goddard, Ebenezer Foskett and Benjamin Mayo shall be Committee of Trustees to make a plan of said Meeting House, and oversee the work thereof, and set to each subscriber his share of work, or preparing articles needful for said building.
"Moreover, the subscribers do covenant, promise and agree that the said Meeting House is built and intended for a Congregational Church and Society to worship in; nevertheless, we do hereby covenant, promise and agree that when- ever there shall be a Town, Distriet or Parish set off by the General Court in this
place then the said House shall be free for all the inhabitants thereof to hold all their legal, Town, District, or Parish meetings in."
It was voted the same day that the house should stand on "land lying be- tween the properties of Benjamin Mayo and Nathan Goddard." It was also voted that each of these men should be paid ten dollars for his land. It was de- cided that the building should be 46 feet in length and 36 feet in width. The principal feature was of course the pulpit with the sounding board overhead. A gallery was built on each of the four sides, the gallery over the pulpit being reserv- ed for the singers and players upon the base viol and violin. In the galleries were twenty pews; on the floor there were thirty-four box pews. The stairs to the gallery and singers' seats, ascended from the porch in front of this ordinary wooden building. There was no belfry.
1782, March 31, the Meeting-house was dedicated. The sermon, "the first Sermon preached in said House," was delivered "from the 133d Psalm by the Rev. Emerson Foster."
1782, November 14, an Ecclesiastical Convention convened at the house of Benjamin Mayo. "After the Council, services were held in the meeting-house and the people declared to be a regular incorporated Church of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and they received the right hand of fellowship from the Rev. Mr. Reed," pastor in Warwick.
18 men and 13 women constituted the original church. Only the male members, Nathan Goddard, David Goddard, Hananiah Temple, Edward Ward, Benjamin Mayo, Ebenezer Foskett, Ebenezer Goddard, Asa Goddard, Nathan Goddard, Jr., Benjamin Woods, Jason Harrington, Ephraim Cady, Jr., Nathan- iel Woodcock, Ephraim Cady, John Ford, Ephraim Smith, Jonathan Ward and Nehemiah Ward,-signed the covenant.
1782, December 12, Rev. Emerson Foster was installed Pastor, the church being called the Church of Christ in South Warwick. The name Orange does not occur on the Society records until 1785, March 23. Mr. Foster's salary was to be 60 pounds a year, the first two years, 65 pounds the third year and after that 70 pounds a year during his ministry in this place. It was also voted to give Mr. Foster 100 pounds settlement and "25 cords of good sizable fire wood, 8 feet long, delivered at Mr. Foster's dwelling house." "For a time the Pastor and Church in this place abode in peace," say the old records, but for various reasons, dissatisfaction with the Pastor arose and 1790, May 13, the parish voted to concur with the church in ealling a council to dismiss Mr. Foster. From this time until 1822 the Society had no settled Pastor and but little preaching.
1800. The General Convention of Universalists met in the Church, with Hosea Ballou, "the great leader of that denomination," as clerk.
1811. It was voted to allow the "Universal Society" to worship in the Meeting-house at such timesas it is not occupied by the Congregational Society. The following anecdote shows the spirit of the times. An orthodox woman, a member of the originalchurch, went to a morning service, ignorant of the fact that a Universalist preacher was going to occupy the pulpit that Sunday. In the tavern parlor where many went to eat lunch between services, she said, "Who is the young minister? It was the varry best sermon I ever heerd in my life." When told the minister was a "Univarsaler," she exclaimed, "The filthy stuff! It was not fit for the pigs to hear," and she immediately put up her half-eaten lunch and went home.
During the 32 years following Mr. Foster's dismissal many had drifted from the faith of the fathers who founded the church. Many had beome Uni- tarian in belief but it was voted to unite with the Universalists in raising a subscription for the support of preaching and 1822, November 28, the Rev. Joshua Chandler, a Unitarian minister, was installed Pastor, the Council meeting
SEVEN
at the house of Calvin Mayo. The church was still Congregational in the matter of form and government, but it was no longer Orthodox Congregational; it had become Unitarian Congregational .* The first members of this Society were Capt. Ebenezer Goddard and wife, Anna Temple, Calvin Mayo and wife, Oliver Ward, Sally Ward, Deacon Daniel Ward and wife, Mrs. Ebenezer Cheney, Nathan Ward, Mrs. Solomon Gates, Mrs. Hannah Goddard, Miss Rebecca Wright and Deacon Nathan Cheney and wife. 1827, October, Mr. Chandler was dismissed by mutual agreement. Then follows quite "a gap in parish records."
1832. "The church was turned one quarter around so that the ends were north and south instead of east and west, as at first built. The doors were re-
NORTH ORANGE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH BUILT IN 1781
moved from the square box pews, the pews remodeled and put in facing the entrance with the pulpit at the south end and the singers in the gallery over the minister's head.
1843. The Rev. Lovi Ballou, a Universalist minister, began to preach to both Universalists and Unitarians. In 1844 the two denominations united, and have since worshiped together. Mr. Ballou's pastorate continued for 19 years and it is said of him that "as a neighbor, friend, companion, citizen, pastor, he wore through all these years the white flower of a blameless life." From the close of Mr. Ballou's pastorate in 1862 there was no settled minister until 1865.
* The Unitarian Churches usually fell heir to the Parish Church in most of the eastern Massachusetts parishes when there was a division between the liberal and orthodox parties.
From time to time different ministers have supplied the pulpit; the following list includes only the names of settled ministers:
Rev. W. W. Hooper, 1865, served a little over four years
Rev. Charles Conklin, 1892-1893
Rev. Alanson Scott, about a year and a half
Rev. Donald Fraser, 1894-1897
Rev. J H. Willis, three years
Rev. A. N. Blackford, 1897-1904
Rev. J. E. Davenport, three years
Rev. J. L. Greene, 1905-1907
Rev. W. H. Jewell, two years Rev. L. C. Manchester,
Mar .- Nov., 1910
Rev. E. J. Chaffee, 1879-1882
Rev. C. W. Squires, 1911-1912
Rev. O. K. Crosby, 1883-1886
Rev. Paul Weller,
1913-1916
Rev. E. B. Barber, 1886-1889
Rev. G. L. Mason,
1916-1923
Rev. C. L. Paddock, 1889-1891
Rev. C. F. MeIntire
1923-
Rev. G. H. Harris, 1891-1892
1865. Fourteenfeet were added to the north end of the church, the gallery was taken down, the singers' seats removed to the north end of the church and a floor put in over the audience room; the upper room thus formed was finished off as the Parish Hall.
1868. By a special aet of legislation the name of the society organization was changed from "First Congregational Parish and Society of Orange," to "The Second Universalist Society of Orange."
1875. New windows were placed in the meeting-house, the Ladies' Sewing Society bearing the expense of purchase and placing of the windows.
1876, March. The Society came into possession of the Phineas Battle Fund, bequeathed by Mr. Phineas Battle who died July 11, 1874. The 10th clause of Mr. Battle's will reads as follows: "the residue of my estate both real and per- sonal and not otherwise disposed of in this will, I design as a perpetual fund to be safely invested and the interest arising therefrom to be equally divided and one moiety thereof paid annually to my said trustee, to each of the two religious societies known as the first and second Universalist society in Orange, to be applied to the support of the Gospel in said societies according to the tenets entertained by the Universalist denomination. The sum left was $25,532.92.
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.