USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > History of the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, comprising also a history of Lunenburg, from its first settlement to the year 1764 (1836) > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 F555' 0 1779231
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01100 0491
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyoftownoff00torr_0
HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF FITCHBURG,
MASSACHUSETTS.
4
COMPRISING ALSO A HISTORY OF LUNENBURG, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE YEAR 1764. :
"How town histories will ever be written a second thun. 'The pains are too great, and the praise is too little." N. A. Review.
BY RUFUS O. TORREY.
FITCHBURG, MASS. 1836.
.
1:79231
1:
Torrey, Rufus Campbell, 1813 ?- 1882.
History of the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Com- prising also a history of Lunenburg, from its first settlement to the year. 1764 ... by Rufus C. Torrey. Fitchburg (J. Gar- field, printer, 1836.
iv, [5]-111 p. 24mm.
1. Fitchburg. Mass .- Hist. 2. Lunenburg, Mass .- Hist.
10-8760
Library of Congress
F74.F5T5
(33b1]
1562
...
F
84428
.8
Lack 1:00.
EL ZE DET
PREFACE.
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'The writer has been induced to undertake the present work by a desire to save from the oblivion, to which they were hastening, some of the events connected with the history of this Town .- Many of these are treasured up in the memories of a few aged people, and must, in the course of nature, soon be inevitably lost, if not preserved in a connected and tangible form. Though the number of these relics of other days is now small, much in- formation has been derived from them, and much more might have been obtained, had enquiries been commenced a few years earlier.
n The writer has had full access to the Proprietors' Books, and to the Town Records of Lunenburg and Fitchburg. Oral and written information has been furnished with the utmost cheerful- ness, by all those in possession of facts worthy of note. The la- bors of another, who has preceeded me in this department, have made my path one of comparative ease. In 1831, Nathaniel Wood Esq. in a series of Lectures read before the Lyceum of this town, gave an interesting and discriminating sketch of the events connected with its history. Many circumstances were collected and preserved by him, which would have been lost to the pres- ent writer. Unrestricted use of Mr. Wood's papers has been generously granted to me, who otherwise would not have been encouraged to undertake the work. While then ate merits, if it
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PREFACE.
possess any, are mainly to be ascribed to another, its faults and defects are chargeable to me.
To N. F. Cunningham Esqr. and J. A. Marshall, M. D. the respective Town Clerks of Lunenburg and Fitchburg, this pub lic expression of my thanks is due, for the readiness with which they have afforded me every facility in their power, in the com- pilation of this work. To other persons, to whom I am more or less indebted for information, I tender my grateful acknowledge- ments.
If I have succeeded in impressing any with the importance of preserving the records and traditions of the early history of these towns, and if those who peruse this work derive from it a pleas- ure equal to half of the labor I have spent in writing it, I shall not be without a reward.
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
The town of Fitchburg is situated in the north-eastern part of the County of Worcester, about 47 miles in a northwesterly direction from Boston, and 21 miles nearly north from Wor- cester. It is 30 miles west from Lowell, and 419 N. E. from the city of Washington.
The general boundaries of the town are as follows :- north by Ashby in the County of Middlesex, east by Lunenburg, south-east by Leominster, south by Leominster and an unin- corporated district, called Notown, and west by Westminster and Ashburnham. The average length of the town, from north to south, is a little more than six and a half miles, and the average breadth somewhat less than four and a half miles. It contains 17,879 acres, according to a survey made by Levi Downe, in 1S30.
The general surface of the township is extremely uneven .- It consists almost entirely of hills, some of which are very ab- rupt and are of considerable magnitude. Rollstone, a hill ly- ing immediately south-west of the village, rises abruptly 300 feet above the bed of the stream which flows at its base; and there are other summits whish rise still higher. Of meadow lands there are scarcely any to be found in the limits of the town.
The soil is very broken, and much labor is required to sub- due it thoroughly. When once put into a good state of culti- vation, it has produced heavy crops of potatoes, and the various
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
kinds of grain common to this section of the country. Wheat has been and is still cultivated with considerable success .-- The town abounds in good pasturage lands, which, in conse- quence of the moist soil, seldom fail. Nearly the whole of the township was originally covered with a heavy growth of pine, which, being cut off, has given place to oak of different kinds, beech, chestnut, rock-maple, birch, ash, &c. Walnut was for- merly abundant, but now it is not very common.
A strange neglect has prevailed in regard to the cultivation of trees for shade and ornament, and the beautiful and easily cultivated fruit trees of New-England. Apples are common, and a few cherries may be seen; but peaches, rareripes, pears, grapes, plums, apricots, nectarines, strawberries, &c. which might be produced in abundance, and with but little care and expense, are almost wholly strangers among us. Not a little beauty would be added to the village, were its streets orna- mented with the majestic elm; and not a little would be added to the comfort of the citizens, were their grounds plentifully stocked with the wholesome and delicious fruits of summer and autumn.
Rev. Peter Whitney, in his valuable history of Worcester County, remarks thus of Fitchburg- This is a very hilly and uneven, but fertile town.' 'The hills are large, high, and steep; however, on them there is not broken, poor and waste land. In general the soil is excellent.'
The soil of this town is a decomposition of mica slate and gneiss. The former produces a soil of a medium quality, and is generally well fitted for grazing. The soil of a greater part of Worcester County is based on gneiss, which differs from granite only in having a slaty structure. The soil resulting from the decomposition of this rock furnishes some of the most fertile and productive farms of the State. The hills of the town (with the exception of Rollstone) are mostly formed of mica slate. Rollstone, which rises 300 feet high, and is nearly a mile in circumference, is a mass of granite, and "might furnish enough to supply the whole State for centuries,"* This granite has not been extensively quarried, on account of the little demand for stone. It has hitherto been principally used for door steps, in building the 'Stone Mill,' and in constructing three excellent bridges over the Nashua. The six columns which support the front and projecting part of the 'Nashua River Hotel' are of this granite. The hill is favorably situated for quarrying, and the stone is easily split into blocks of almost
*Hitchcock's Geology of Massachusetts, p 16.
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
any size. This granite is of the same kind and color with that of Westford. Some of it is too coarse for architectural purposes; but blocks can be obtained no wise inferior to the best of Chelmsford granite.
This granite is sold at the quarry, well dressed, at thirty- five and forty cents the superficial foot .*
The peculiar appearance of the rock composing Pearl Hill, in the north-eastern part of the town, formerly induced the be- lief that gold or silver ore might be found beneath the surface, and attempts were made to expose the supposed mines. But all search was fruitless. For the want either of funds or per- severance on the part of those engaged in this mining under- taking, the attempt was soon abandoned, and it has never since been resumed. Whitney, in his history of Worcester County, has the following pertinent remarks on this subject :- "In the present state of our population, riches, in these northern parts, are with much greater facility, procured from the surface of the earth, by the various instruments of cultivation, than from deep and latent mines of the richest ore. When the country becomes overstocked with inhabitants, and support from the soil shall not be so easily obtained, it is not improbable that from this mountain will be dug large quantities of those shin- ing metals, as every thing, at present, favors the conjecture." "The population of the place has not yet become so dense as to make it necessary to have recourse to the precious metals, that may be contained within the bowels of Pearl Hill, for their support; and it may be doubted whether the present day and generation will witness that period. The promising indica- tions of the existence of such metals have not induced another search, though the desire for their possession, which so strong- ly incited our fathers, has not diminished in the breasts of their sons. The latter wisely regard the solid granite of Rollstone as a more valuable possession.
* * The cost of hammering and fine dressing granite in Boston, in the style of the Tremont House, I have been credibly inform- ed, is about thirty cents the superficial foot. Ordinary work is, however, from twenty-five to thirty cents. The cost of the blocks of the Quincy granite for the Bunker Hill monument, de- livered at Charlestown in a rough state, was thirteen cents, three mills, per foot, and the cost of the ushewn stone for the church built last year in Bowdoin street, Boston, was fifteen cents ; but six years before, the rough Quincy granite, for the United States' Branch Bank, cost two dollars per foot."-[ Hitchcock's Geol. of Mass.
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Upon the elevation, formerly known as Appletree Hill, situ- ated east and northeast of the village, there are indications of the existence of mineral coal ; and the high and increasing price of fuel will soon, it is presumed, cause a thorough examination into the matter.
Till within a few years, the roads of this town were in a wretched condition. The first settlers, as is usual in such ca- ses, located their habitations on the heights of the various hills ; and for the convenince of the inhabitants, the roads were laid out in a sinuous course from one hill to another. The princi- pal roads thus passed over the loftiest hills in the town; and it would seem that generally the most direct route between two places was avoided for the purpose of making the public ways both crooked and uneven. Our fathers had as much abhor- rence for a staight road, as nature once had for a vacuum .- The 'flat rock road,' which leads over the hill immediately north of the village, and the road which passes over 'Carter's hill,' by the house of P. Williams Esqr. were once the great thoroughfares between Vermont and Boston. The. former is now impassable to carriages of modern construction, and the latter is but little used.
Within a love youto, a great peloon in this property has tobe " place ; and the town is now as distinguished for Is excellent roads, as formerly it was for its bad ones. The reform was commenced by straightening and otherwise improving the road leading to Leominster .* A new road to Ashburnham was opened in 1830. It generally follows the course of the river, and is a level and well made road. About the same time a new road was opened to Lunenburg, and communication with that place is now easy and agreeable. A new and compara- tively level road has recently deen opened between this place and Westminster. The roads, which afford communication between the people of Fitchburg and their northern neighbors at Ashby, are hilly and crooked. A few years only will be suffered to elapse before the evil will be remedied. A great amount of travel passes through this town on the Boston and Keene route. Two excellent stone bridges on this road were built over the Nashua River, a few rods west of the village, in 1829. They are both built with three arches, having a span of 25 feet, and, with the embankments, cost more $2,100 .- They were somewhat injured by the freshet of Feb. 1835. In
*Measures have recently been taken for making still further improvements on this route.
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
consequence of the foundations of the piers not being laid suf- ficiently firm and deep, they were undermined by the force of the water, and settled several inches. The travel over them, however, has not been interrupted, and no farther damage is apprehended from their slightly twisted condition. The beau- tiful stone bridge over the Nashua at the 'Burbank Papermill' was built in the Fall of IS31, at an expense of more than $1, 100. It has two arches, each with a span of 30 feet.
The town has daily communication, by means of mail sta- ges, with Boston, Keene, and Lowell. Stages also depart, three times a week, for Springfield and Worcester, and return on alternate days. Accommodation stages also pass daily be- tween this place and Boston.
There are no natural ponds in the limits of the town, though the neighboring towns of Westminster, Ashburnham, and Lu- nenburg are highly favored in this respect. The artificial ponds, formed by the dams on the Nashua at the various mill seats, are all small, on account of the fall in this stream, in the greater part of its course through the town. The only stream of much importance in the town, is the north branch of the Nashua, the sources of which are in the towns of Westmin- ster and Ashburnham. Westminster pond, lying about 70 rods southerly from the Congregational meeting-house in Westminster, contains more than 160 acres; and Wachusett pond, lying at the base of the mountain of the same name, about 3 miles southeasterly from the centre of the same town, is nearly as large. Two small streams issue from these ponds, and, soon uniting, pass the 'narrows' and enter Fitchburg, flowing in a northeasterly direction. A stream from Ashburn- ham and Gardner flows through the westerly part of West- minster, and, being augmented by two other streams, known as Tophet Swamp brook and Beech Hill brook, takes an east- erly direction, enters this town, and soon unites with the above mentioned streams from the ponds in Westminster.
Phillips' brook, which has its source in Watatich and East ponds, in the easterly part of Ashburnham, flows in a south- erly and southeasterly direction through the northern part of Westminster, and receiving several minor stream, passes into
* This river, and the plantation at Lancaster, were formerly called Nashaway. Nashua is a modern refinement, but by no means an improvement. The ancient name is much the better of the two, and it should have been preserved; but as Nashua has been universally adopted, I have thought it proper to con- form to the spirit of the times.
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Fitchburg, and unites with the main stream, about a mile and a half west of the village. These several streams, united, form the North Branch of the Nashua. This continues in a northeasterly direction till it reaches the centre of the town; when it takes a southeasterly course and passes into Leomin- ster. It receives several contributory streams in addition to those already mentioned. A small stream rises in the south- erly part of the town, and runs into the Nashua a little below Sheldon's dam. L. Pratt's chair shop and saw-mill are loca- ted on this stream. Another small brook runs into the Nash- ua near to Sheldon's & Pillsbury's grist-mill. A saw-mill is located upon it. Punch brook, of about the same size with the last named stream, flows through the village and empties into the Stone mill pond. Four dams are built on it. Two of these afford water power for a cabinet maker's shop, and a carriage maker's shop. The other two are at present unoccu- pied. Baker's brook enters this town from Ashby. It flows in a southeasterly direction, nearly the whole length of the town, and, receiving Pearl Ilill brook, passes into Lunenburg and Leominster, and unites with the Nashua. Two saw mills are located on it. Wanoosnock brook, which rises in Notown, runs through the southerly part of the town, and unites with the Nashua near the centre of Leominster. There is one saw-mill on it within the limits of Fitchburg. There are several saw- mills and other shops on the tributaries to the Nashua, which have been already mentioned.
Osborn's mills, on the Turnpike, are on the principal stream which comes from Westminster. A large number of shingles are made here. A saw-mill and grist-mill are at the same place. The latter is, however, but little used.
Perkins & Baldwin's Factory is on Phillips' brook, about 160 rods above its junction with the Nashua, and not far from 2 miles west of the village. Shirtings of a good quality are manufactured here. The brook here, which is a constant stream, makes a fall of 80 feet in thirty rods. Sixteen looms are in operation at this place.
At the junction of Phillips' brook with the Nashua is situa- ted J. Farwell & Co.s' Scythe Manufactory. Dams are thrown across both streams, the waters of which are thus secured.
A. Crocker & Co's. Paper mill is located on the Nashua, at the distance of one and a half miles west the village. A good head of water is secured here. At this establishment paper of various kinds, principally however printing and wri ting paper, is manufactured to a considerable extent. The- same 'privilege' furnishes water power to A. Kimball & Co's
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Scythe manufactory, situated a few rods below the paper mill. 'The scythes manufactured by Messrs. Kimball & Farwell have had an extensive sale, and they are well known to be of a superior quality. Great numbers of them are sold annually.
Sheldon & Pillsbury's dam is located about 180 rods below the one last mentioned. From this pond a trench has been dug, nearly 150 rods in length, by means of which the water is conveyed to a saw mill and grist mill. A fall of 22 feet is obtained, and it may be considered, perhaps, as the best mill seat on the stream. The grist mill is furnished with two runs of stones, a corn-cracker and a flour-bolter. A large quantity of grain is brought to this mill, some from a great distance .- It is more particularly noted for the superior manner in which flour is bolted.
It this respect it is not inferior to any mills in this region .- The average quantity of flour prepared here, during the past year, has been about five barrels per day. In the course of the present year it will probably be doubled.
Town & Willis' Cotton Mill is situated a few rods west of the common. Twenty looms are here in operation, in manu- facturing 4-4ths sheetings. It is at present leased to Levi Sherwin.
The Fitchburg Woolen Mill, owned by the same company as the cotton mill last mentioned, occupies an eligible situation in the very centre of the village. It is a commodious building of brick, and furnished with all the necessary out-buildings .- Sixteen looms are in operation ; eight of which are for broad cloths, and eight for cassimeres.
Newton's Cotton Factory, about 100 rods below the one last named, was formerly a manufactory for sheetings. Ne- gro cloths are now the principal article manufactured.
The Stone Mill, a large granite building, is situated in that part of the village known as the Old City. It is four stories high, and occupied by Percy Atherton, as a Cotton Factory. It has 40 looms for weaving sheetings.
Crocker & Gardner's Paper-mill, generally known as the Burbank Paper-mill, is SO rods farther down stream. A good head of water is obtained here. This mill is altogether used for the manufacture of wrapping paper. Two engines are kept in almost constant motion, night and day, to furnish pulp sufficient to supply one machine. Both of the Paper-mills in this town have, in connexion with their machines, a late im- proved drying cylinder. The paper passes from the machine over a heated cylinder (generally from 4 to 6 feet in diame- ter,) which completely dries it. At the same time it is cut
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
into pieces, of convenient size, ready to be folded into reams .- Water is also furnished, at this dam, for a workshop not con- nected with the Paper mill.
Next on the stream, situated about 210 rods below the Pa- per mill, is Poor's (formerly Slater's) Woolen Factory. Six- teen looms are in operation here; on six of which cassi- meres and on ten broadcloths are woven.
A dam is again thrown over the Nashua, about 100 rods farther down stream. From this pond, the water is conduct- ed by a trench, about fifty rods in length, to the Woolen Fac- tory occupied by Amos Hill. This is a brick building, erect- ed within a few years. A part of the Factory is occupied by A. Hill, who has twelve looms in operation in making broad- cloths. In the part occupied by Alfred Messenger there are eleven looms employed in making negro cloths.
Commencing with Osborn's mills on the Turnpike, and in- cluding Perkins & Baldwin's Factory, which is not on the prin- cipal stream, there are twelve mill seats already occupied. Of these four are sites for Cotton Factories, three for Woolen Factories, two for Paper mills, two for saw and grist mills, and one for a Seythe Factory. This account does not include A. Kimball's Seythe Factory, which is supplied with water from A. Crocker & Co's. pond. There are several saw mills, turn- ing lathes, work shops, &c. connected with most of the Facto- ries above numerated. A dam has been built over the stream between A. Crocker's and Sheldon's dams, and a chair shop is about to be erected on the spot. It is calculated that there are five 'privileges,' yet unoccupied, between Osborn's mills and J. Farwell's Scythe Factory. There are also several oth- er convenient places on the Nashma, where dams may be con- structed. At the present time not one half of the water pow- er, which may be developed on this stream and its tributaries, is 'improved.'
Other manufactories and trades must be noticed briefly .- Another chair shop has been opened in the village. Here al- so are carriage & coach makers, wheelwrights, carpenters, shoemakers, blacksmiths, window sash & blind makers, sad- dle & harness makers, trunk makers, two clock & watch ma- kers & jewellers, book-binders & book-sellers, apothecaries, stone cutters, hatters, bellows makers, brick makers, coopers, painters, (house, sign, carriage and ornametnal,) masons, tailors, glaziers, a bakery, a tannery, a printing office &c. &c. The first printing office was opened in 1830; since which time a newspaper has been published here. For a short period in 1834 three papers (two political and one religious) were print-
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HISTORY Of FITCHBURG.
ed. The present paper (Worcester County Courier) and printing office are owned by J. Garfield.
There are eight public stores, containing the usual variety of English, American, & W. I. goods, and two bookstores.
The Fitchburg Bank was incorporated in the year 1832, with a capital of $100,000, and went into operation in July of the same year. It has usually declared semi-annual dividends of 3 1-2 per cent. and the stock is about ten per cent. advance. Francis Perkins has been President, and Ebenezer Torrey, Cashier, of this institution from its commencement.
The number of inhabitants previous to the census of 1791, is a matter of uncertainty. When the town was incorporated, Feb. 3d. 1764, it contained about forty families ; and the pop- ulation, at this period, may be estimated at 250. According to the census of 1791, it amounted to 1151. The taxable polls, in 1793, amounted to 26S,-at the same time 18 towns of the County contained a greater number, and 30 towns a less. The population in IS00 was 1390 ;- in 1810, 1566 ;- in 1820, 1736 ;- in 1830, 2179. Within the last ten years the population has increased in a greater ratio than at any former period ; and at the present time the number of inhab- itants may be estimated at 26 or 27 hundred. The increase from 1791 to 1800 was 239; from 1500 to 1810, 176; from 1810 to 1820, 170; from 1820 to 1830, 443.
The principal circumstances which tended to retard the pop- ulation of the town in the earlier period of its history, was the expense of maintaining and keeping in repair the roads and bridges. The broken and uneven nature of the soil rendered the construction of roads laborious and costly. The item for building and keeping in repair the several bridges over the Nashua and its tributaries, was not small. The art of con- structing durable bridges was not understood in those days .- They were built of frail and unsuitable materials, and were constantly in need of repairs. When built in the most appro- ved style of those days, they were liable to be swept away by the first freshet. The rivers, which have since been the source of the wealth and prosperity of the town, were, in the opinion of its earlier settlers, its greatest evils. In 1793, according to Whitney's History, there had been built on the Nashma a saw mill, a corn mill, a fulling mill, a clothier's works, a trip-ham- mer, and works for grinding scythes. These occasioned a great resort of people to the place, and from a considerable distance. At this period there was much travel through the place, by people on their way between Vermont and Boston. With these exceptions, there was nothing to give to the growth
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