The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts, Part 1

Author: Caswell, Lilley Brewer, 1848-; Cross, Fred Wilder, 1868-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: [Athol, Mass.] The Town of Royalston
Number of Pages: 826


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > 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 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53


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GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01145 8400


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015


https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofr1762casw


COLONEL ISAAC ROYAL


1762


1917


THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ROYALSTON,


MASSACHUSETTS


1762-1917.


BY LILLEY B. CASWELL


INCLUDING Royalston's Soldier Record Written and Compiled by HON. FRED W. CROSS


Published by the Town of Royalston


1917


1180268 FOREWORD OF THE AUTHOR


The writer of this history of Royalston, in performing the work given him by your Town Committee, feels that in many respects this task might have been assigned to abler and more eloquent writers.


Although not the town of his birth or residence, he has, ever since as a young man he came to this town as a teacher in its schools, had a love and admiration for this good, old town, for its grand and beautiful scenery, the people who have lived among these hills, and the history they have made. It has truly been a typical New England town, where men and wom- en have shown a zeal for religion, a sturdy patriotism, and a desire for educational privileges all through the history of the town.


With the material which has been at our disposal, we have endeavored not to fill the work with too much statistical mat- ter, such as may easily be obtained in the annual town report, but rather have deemed it wise to describe more fully than many town histories, the old families of the town that have made the history of Royalston one to be proud of. In this, we have not attempted to make what would be complete fam- ily genealogies, but have described those branches of the fam- ilies that have been more or less connected with the town, or have attained prominence or distinction in the various com- munities in which they have made their homes, scattered in all parts of the Union and in foreign lands.


Another feature of this work, not common in town histor- ies, is the chapter on " Writers of Royalston Poetry." We be- lieved that such a vivid description of the events of the Civil War as contained in Dr. Frank W. Adams' Epic Poem on the Civil War in America was worthy of a place in this history, while the town that claims Nancy Priest, the gifted author of " Over the River," surely should give her a place in the annals of the town. The Red Letter Days of Royalston History will recall the celebration of important events in the history of the town. The military history has been most carefully written, and ably presented by Hon. Fred W. Cross in the chapter en-


Goodspeed


Bindery 2/14/62


6


IV


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


titled " Royalston's Soldier Record," and is a record that any town should be proud of.


The first chapters of the work treat of the early settlers, incorporation of the town, town government, and of Col. Isaac Royall, who named the town. It seemed appropriate that South Royalston, occupying one corner of the town, should have its families, industries, churches and organizations treated as a village or community, instead of being scattered through the pages of the history, and this has been so ar- ranged.


The early records of the town do not contain many excit- ing and dramatic events, with no Indian traditions, and as Governor Bullock said, " A church without a schism in a cen- tury ; a ministry that never knew how to quarrel and a people that have walked in the paths of unambitious duty," the life and activities of those early generations was so peaceful and regular that the history of those days is comparatively tame to that of many towns.


We have been indebted to the Royalston Memorial, pub- lished in 1865, for much valuable information, which was gathered by your historical committee of half a century ago, at the time of the Centennial Anniversary, one member of which, the late Daniel Davis, assisted us in obtaining material for some of the family histories. We have also been reminded during the years of collecting material, of the fact that each passing year destroys or renders less available historic mat- ter of interest and value, while every year has removed from the scene of life's activities men and women whose memories were treasure houses of historic facts.


In compiling the material contained in this work the writer has received valuable assistance from many sources. The town records and annual reports of the town have kindly been placed at our disposal by Town Clerk Dr. Frank W. Adams, and we have availed ourselves freely of the files of the Athol and Worcester West Chronicle, Athol Transcript, Barre Gazette and Fitchburg Sentinel. The archives and State Library at the State House in Boston have been consulted, while various town histories and family genealogies contained in the libraries of the American Antiquarian Society at Worcester, Worcester Public Library and the Fitchburg and


V


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


Athol public libraries have furnished us with much valuable material. Also members of many of the old Royalston families have gladly aided us in the preparation of the family histories which we have presented.


We would like to have given a complete list of the indi- viduals who have aided us in our work, but do not feel at liberty to give the space it would occupy. To all such we ex- tend our sincere thanks. Our relations with the Town Com- mittee, who have charge of this work, have been pleasant all through the years we have been engaged in our labor, and they have rendered us much valuable assistance. The work involved in securing the originals of the portraits and illustra- tions which appear in the history has been great, but we be- lieve they add much to the value of the work. The half-tone plates, from which the portraits and illustrations are printed, are the work of the Howard-Wesson Company of Worcester.


We had hoped at one time that the History would have been ready for the 150th Anniversary, but found that it would be impossible to do so and do justice to the book. This His- tory will therefore contain two Anniversary Celebrations, the Centennial and the Sesqui-Centennial, with much other valu- able material that could not have been included in the book had it been published at that time.


LILLEY B. CASWELL.


REPORT OF THE TOWN COMMITTEE


The celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Town of Royalston with Hon. Alexander H. Bullock - three months later elected Governor of the Commonwealth-as orator of the day was an occasion which inspired our citizens with so much local pride and created such genuine historic interest that there was an immediate popular demand for the publication of a History of the Town.


Accordingly, at a Town Meeting called in the following September, a series of Resolutions were adopted covering this matter, one of which was framed as follows: "Resolved, that the history proposed should be compressed in an octavo volume of from 150 to 200 pages bound in a neat and sub- stantial but not expensive binding, and that the copies printed should not exceed 500."


The volume was hastily edited and promptly issued.


But if the good fathers of that period had taken time for a more extended research in the field there opened up so richly before them and had afforded more abundant space in that volume for the mass of " varied and important matter " which could not possibly be compressed into an "octavo of 200 pages " they would have won additional appreciation from a grateful posterity.


The need of a more complete and accurate History of Royalston has for many years been recognized, and as one after another of our older citizens whose memories were stored with historic facts of value have passed away, the insistence for a new History of the Town became more pronounced.


On March 6, 1911, the Town voted " To raise and appro- priate the sum of five hundred dollars for the purpose of preparing and publishing a History of the Town of Royalston. Chose Dr. Frank W. Adams, Charles H. Brown, William H. Leathe, Fred W. Cross and Colin Mackenzie, Committee to have charge of the work."


The work of compiling and writing the History was given by the Committee to Mr Lilley B. Caswell of Athol, whose acquaintance with Royalston and her people was intimate and


VII


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


who had already achieved a creditable success as Historian of the Town of Athol. The writing of the Military History of the Town, however, was given to Hon. Fred W. Cross, whose researches into the causes and events of the Civil War had been a life work and whose interest in Military History in general had been phenomenal.


On March 2, 1914, as the work seemed nearing completion, the Town voted " To raise five hundred dollars toward print- ing and binding the History of the Town of Royalston, and that permission be hereby granted to any individual or group of individuals to furnish the additional amount required for the purpose, with the distinct understanding that any such volunteer contributors shall be reimbursed from the proceeds of the sales of the book."


There has been some delay in publishing the work, but there is no legal process by which persons in possession of valuable historic information can be made to resign it, and we think, on the other hand, the reader will admit that the history is richer because patience has been allowed to have her perfect work.


FRANK W. ADAMS, CHARLES H. BROWN, WILLIAM H. LEATHE, FRED W. CROSS, COLIN MACKENZIE,


Committee on History of Royalston.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


CHAPTER I. Early Land Grants - Pierpont's Grant - Joseph Priest's Grant-Hapgood's Grant-Royalston Leg- Area- Proprietors - First Settlers. 1-7


CHAPTER II.


Naming the Town-Hon. Isaac Royall-Old Royall House- Incorporation of the Town.


8-13


CHAPTER III.


Town Meetings-First Town Meeting-Early Town Meet- ings-Roads-Day of Fasting and Prayer-First Town House-New Town Hall-Dedication of Town Hall. 14-21


CHAPTER IV.


Town Government - Selectmen - Sketches of Charles H. Brown-Luke B. Shepardson-Alfred W. Neal-As- sessors - Sketches of Levens G. Forbes - Myron E. Stockwell-Eugene G. Twitchell-Assessors' Reports -Town Clerks-Town Treasurers-Overseers of the Poor -- Sketches of Charles A. Stimson-Colin Mac- kenzie-Franklin A. Brown. 23-39


CHAPTER V.


Scenery of Royalston-Brooks of Royalston-Forbes Falls -Doane's Falls-Old Elm-Minerals-Beryls-Beryl Hill Mine-Wild Animals-Wolves and Bears-Last Bear Hunt. 40-51


CHAPTER VI.


Churches of Royalston - First Congregational Church - Sketches of Pastors-Meeting Houses-Parsonage- The Church Bell-Statuette of the Angel Gabriel- Baptist Church at West Royalston-Sketches of Bap- tist Pastors-Baptist Meeting Houses-Baptist Church at Royalston Centre-Free Donation Society.


52-74


IX


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


CHAPTER VII. Political-Petition to the President of the United States- Representatives-Delegates and Senators- Whigs- Vote for Governor-Vote for President. 75-84


CHAPTER VIII.


Education-First School and School Master-School Dis- tricts-Early School Committees-School Committees from 1845-Sketches of Nellie G. W. Farrar-Charles E. Richardson-Eri S. Stewart-High School Exhibi- tion of 1852-Teachers-School Superintendents- College Graduates-Sketches of College Graduates- Libraries-Trustees of Public Library-Post Office. 85-112


CHAPTER IX.


Medical Profession-The Doctors Bacheller-Sketches of Doctors - The Legal Profession - Sketches of Law- yers. 113-126


CHAPTER X.


Red Letter Days of Royalston History-Centennial Celebra- tion-Rev. E. W. Bullard's Address of Welcome-Hon. Alexander H. Bullock's Address-Great Whig Gather- ing of 1840-Dedication of Phinehas S. Newton Public Library - Royalston's First Old Home Week - Old Home Day of 1904-Old Home Day of 1910-Biennial Reunion of School District No. 7-One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary-Sunday Services-Second Day -Third Day-Parade-Dr. Frank W. Adams' Address of Welcome-Addresses of Speakers at the Dinner- Address of Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge. 127-160


CHAPTER XI.


Old Royalston Families-Metcalf Family-The Brown Fam- ily-Bullock Family-Frye Family-Bliss Family- Woodbury-Walker-Ballou-Shepardson-Nichols- The Estabrooks-Gale Family-Bartlett-Dexter- White Family-Charles W. Bowker Family-Richard- son-Gregory-Goddard-Pierce-Perkins-Newton . - Cutler.


161-282


X


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


CHAPTER XII.


Old Royalston Families-The Peck Family-Gates-The Wood Family-Holman-Raymond-Chase-Bragg- Fisher-Davis-Morse-Leathe-Lyman Stone Family Jacobs - Clement-Estey-Garfield - Shebna Paine Family-Pratt Family-The Chamberlain Family-Al- bion P. Mosman Family-The Blandings-The Greeley Family-Geo. D. Bolton Family-Bemis Family-Tan- dy Family-Bosworth Family-The Doane Family. 283-347


CHAPTER XIII.


Royalston's Writers of Poetry-Dr. Frank W. Adams' Epic Poem - Nancy Priest - Rev. Albert Bryant - Mrs. George Woodbury's Centennial Hymn-Sidney G. Bos- worth's One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary Hymn - Amanda Bemis Smith's Johnstown Flood Poem - Dulcenia M. Russell-Peck's Poem on Universalism- Wm. M. Leathe.


348-372


CHAPTER XIV.


Biographical-Col. George Whitney -- William Fordyce Big- elow-George Fletcher Miller-Herman M. Partridge -J. Milton Partridge-Stephen H. Heywood-Cyrus P. Reed-Wm. D. Ripley-Benjamin Ward Upham- Caleb A. Cook-Rev. Ebenezer Cutler-Rev. Henry Cummings-Solon Bryant-George Edward Miller. 373-383


CHAPTER XV.


Sons of Royalston-Asahel Peck-James Ormond Wilson- Hon. George Carter Richardson-Stephen Holman --- Lieut. - Colonel Charles Cummings - Thomas Norton Hart-George Ellis Whitney-Frederic C. Nichols- Leonard Nichols - Robert Winthrop Adams - Edwin Augustus Fisher-Arthur A. Upham-John V. Hazen -John B. Bowker-Jenner E. Morse. 384-400


CHAPTER XVI.


Royalston's Soldier Record-Our Soldier Stock-The Rev- olution Period-Shay Insurrection-The War of 1812 -The Civil War-List and Records of Royalston Sol- diers-Royalston Men Who Went from Other Towns and States.


401-445


XI


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


CHAPTER XVII. Mercantile and Industrial-Stores on Royalston Common- Early Saw and Grist Mills-Royalston's Manufactures -Plans of Royalston-Population-Income Taxes. 446-453


CHAPTER XVIII.


Organizations - Masonic Fraternity - Royalston Grange, No. 195. 454-456


CHAPTER XIX.


Cemeteries - Grave Yard Under the Hill - Early Grave Yards-New Cemetery-Epidemics. 457-459


CHAPTER XX.


Old Taverns-Stage Coaches.


460-462


CHAPTER XXI. Old Customs and Practices-Warning Out-Tithing Men- Pounds-Perambulation of Town Bounds-Sealer of Weights and Measures. 463-466


CHAPTER XXII.


South Royalston-Descriptive and Industrial. 467-471


CHAPTER XXIII.


Churches of South Royalston - Second Congregational Church-Methodist Church-Catholic Church. 472-480


CHAPTER XXIV.


Sons of South Royalston-William Clark Peckham-Ches- ter Twitchell Stockwell - Hon. Fred Wilder Cross - Frederick Lysander Drury-Geoffrey B. Lehy-Rev. John F. Lehy-William H. Bullard-J. Herbert King- Fred D. Weeks. 481-491


CHAPTER XXV.


Biographical-Edward A. Carpenter-Everard B. Hanson -Ruel Roby Safford-Jesse Edgar Bodett-Nahum Longley-Josephus T. Day-Jonas M. Turner-John King-Silas Hale-Elisha F. Brown-Nathaniel G. Beckwith. 492-502


XII


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


CHAPTER XXVI.


South Royalston Brass Band-South Royalston Forty-Nin- ers-Silas Hale's Famous Green Mountain Morgan- South Royalston Grange-South Royalston Post Office -South Royalston Hotel-South Royalston School As- sociation. 503-512


CHAPTER XXVII.


Cemeteries - Memorial Tablets - The Cross Memorial - The Lehy Memorial. 513-518


CHAPTER XXVIII.


South Royalston Families-Salmon S. Farrar Family-Caleb W. Day Family-Timothy Lewis Family-Luther Harrington Family-The Hale Family-Rich Family- The Bacheller Families-The Silas W. Bachellor Fam- ily-The Sherwin Family-Addison Sherwin Family- Melancthon Sherwin Family-The Whitmore Families -The Jones Family-Luther Bowker Family-Brasier H. French Family-The Stockwells-The Wheeler Families- Paul Wheeler Family-Russell Wheeler Family-The Clark Family-Timothy Clark Family- Charles Howe Brooks-Sylvender B. Forristall-Er- nest F. Porter. 519-558


CHAPTER XXIX.


South Royalston Physicians and Fire Department-South Royalston Physicians-Dr. J. B. Gould-Dr. Henry O. Adams-Dr. Walter H. Adams-The Fire Department -Fire of 1892-Fire of 1904. 559-562


CHAPTER XXX.


Royalston Hall of Fame. 560-566


APPENDIX


Historical Address at the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary by Fred W. Cross-Sketch of Luther E. Stewart-Sketch of Mrs. Mary (Pierce) Turner-Sketch of David P. Foster-Sketch of Myron Walker Sherwood.


INDEX


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


Portraits


A


Adams, Robert Winthrop 394


Adams, Dr. Henry O. 498


Adams, Dr. Frank W. 117


Chase, John S. 432


B


Bacheller, Dr. Stephen J. 114


Ballou, Almando 211


Ballou, Luther 211


Ballou, Mrs. Luther 211


Barrus, John W. 422


Barrus, Marshall 422


Barrus, William J.


422


Bartlett, John N. 235


Barton, Willis H.


427


Bigelow, William F.


374


Bliss, Harrison 195


Bodette, Jesse Edgar 496


Bowker, Charles W. 246


Bowker, George W. 437


Bosworth, Sidney G. 360


Bragg, Everett B. 306


Bragg, Everett Eugene 306


Bragg, Dr. Francis A. 306


Bragg, Henry O. 306


Brooks, Charles H.


27


Brown, Col. Benjamin


173


Brown, Benjamin Hammond


175, 424


Brown, Charles H.


27


Brown, Edward A. 439


Brown, Franklin A. 38


Brown, Nancy (Wood)


176


Brown, William O.


439


Bryant, Rev. Albert 360


Bryant, Mrs. Almeda (Dexter)


240


Bullard, William H.


490


Bullock, Hon. Alexander H.


180


Bullock, Barnett


183


Bullock, Barnett Ellis


184


Bullock, Brigham Newton


184


Bullock, Calvin


184


Bullock, Charles S. 184


Bullock, James Frederick 184


Bullock, Hon. Rufus 178


C


Carpenter, Edward A.


492


Chase, Chauncy 300


Chase, Elizabeth Waite 108


Chase, Francis 300


Chase, George 300


Clark, Cortland A. 420


Cook, Caleb A. 379


Cross, Edward W.


431


Cross, Hon. Fred W. 484


Cutler, Major - General Lysan- der 440


Clement, Wm. W. 332


D


Davis, Daniel 313


Day, Caleb W. 523


Day, David W. 432


Day, Josephus T.


498


Day, Nathan S. 428


Day, Uri C.


431


Deavitt, Caroline (Harrington)


529


Dexter, Bela


240


Dexter, Cynthia


238


Dexter, Ezenezer Wheeler 238


Dexter, Moses 240


Drury, Frederick Lysander 486


F


Fairbanks, Rev. Francis J. 59


Fallon, Martin 427


Farrar, Salmon S. 519


Fisher, Augustus J. 308


Fisher, Edwin A. 308


Forbes, Levens G. 38


Frye, Benjamin 188


Frye, Mrs. Benjamin


188


Fry, Benjamin A. 434


Frye, Frank B. and Family 188


Fry, George E. 420


Fry, Capt. John 186


G


Gale, Harlow A. 229


Gale, Samuel C. 229


Garfield, Moses, Jr. 332


Goddard, Franklin H. 267


Greeley, Jonas


428


H


Hanson, Everard B.


496


XIV


HISTORY OF ROYALSION


Harrington, Henry M. 529


Harrington, Dea. Luther 529


Harrington, Sarah (Nourse)


529


Hazen, Rev. Norman 59


Hunt, James N. 442


J


Jones, Dea. Aaron 548


K


King, Clarence E.


434


Knight, Henry E.


428


king, John


498


L


Leathe, William H. 321


Lee, Rev. Joseph 54


Lee, Mrs. Rachel (Dexter) 240


Lehy, Geoffrey B. 488


Lehy, Rev. John F. 489


Lewis, Enoch T. 527


Lewis, Timothy 525


Lewis, Mrs. Timothy


525


Longley, Nahum 496


Lord, Mrs. Delia (Pierce)


269


M


Mackenzie, Colin


38


Mackenzie, Mrs. Emeline


(White) 108


Mellen, Joel B.


444


Metcalf, Eliab Wight


166


Metcalf, Isaac Stevens


166


Metcalf, Jacob 166


Morandi, Sophia (Ballou)


211


Morgan, George W.


431


Moore, Henry C. 431


Moore, John S. 424


Morse, Russell


300


N


Neale, Alfred W. 514


Newton, Charles H. 278


Newton, Edward Elmer 278


Newton, Col. Elmer 277


Newton, Phinehas S.


278


Nichols, Frederic C. 394


Nichols, Joseph T. 224


Nichols, Mrs. Joseph T.


224


Nichols, Leonard 394


Norcross, Chauncy W.


428


P


Partridge, Harlan P. 442


Partridge, Herman M. 424


Peck, Benoni 286


Peck, Hamilton S. 285


Peck, Henry 288


Peck, Lyman 283


Feck, Lovina (Davis) 283


Peck, Sullivan 289


Pierce, George 269


Pierce, George E. 269


Pierce, Horace 267


Fierce, Milo H. 267


Priest, Nancy 355


R


Raymond, Alfred Dwight 297


Raymond, Alfred J. 298


Raymond, Joseph 296


Rich, B. Warren 534


Pich, Benjamin W. 534


Rich, Jeremiah A. 534


Rich, Jeremiah E. 534


Pichardson, Charles E. 96


Richardson, Stephen 332


Richmond, E. J.


514


Royal, Col. Isaac


Facing title page


Rugg, George N.


439


S


Safford, Roby R. 496


Shepardson, Rev. Daniel 219


Shepardson, Eri 221


Shepardson, John 434


Shepardson, Rev. John 221


Shepardson, Luke B. 27


Sherwin, George P. 498


Stewart, Alexander 432


Stewart, Luther E. 96


Smith, James B. 420


Smith, Mrs. Amanda (Bemis)


360


Stimson, Charles A. 38


Stone, Lyman and Family 322


Stockwell, Caleb N. 548


Stockwell, Edwin 548


T


Townsend, James 439


Turner, Dea. Jonas M. 548


Turner, Mrs. Mary (Pierce) 269


U


Upham, Benjamin W. 379


Upham, Charles M. 424


V


Vose, Edwin O. 422


-


W


Walker, Dea. Joseph 59


Wheeler, Ezra L. 434


XV


Wheeler, Lyman S. 420


White, Wellington 243, 444


Wheeler, R. P. B.


444


Whitney, Colonel George 373


Wheeler, Warren L. 432


Whitney, George Ellis 394


White, Adriel C.


243, 442


Wood, George H. 427


White, Asaph M. 243, 437


Wood, Henry S. 444


White, Erastus


243


Wood, John M.


442


White, Philetus D.


243


Woodbury, George 59


White, Rollin N. 437


Woodbury, Mrs. George 360


White, Stephen P. 437


Buildings, Scenery, etc.


Old Bullock Mansion-Summer Home of Donald M. Hill 1


Old Metcalf House " Under the Hill " 171


Old Tavern and Store Build- ings


West Side of Common 447


Map of Original Grant of Roy- alston 10


Town Hall Built in 1867 19


West Side of Common 19


Fitchburg Railroad Station,


South Royalston 467


South Royalston Park 467


Whitney Stone Woolen


Mill,


South Royalston 469


Old Chair Shop, South Royal- stone 469


Chair Shop Hands, 1885 469


Plant of the American Woolen Co. at South Royalston 471 Pioneer Engine Co., South Roy- alston 560


Rescue Engine Co., South Roy- alston 560


View in South Royalston 513 Riverside Cemetery, South Roy- alston 513


Dedication of E. W. Cross Me- morial 514


Isaac Metcalf House, Summer Home of Miss Edith Metcalf 171


Church,


First Congregational Royalston Centre 61


Second Congregational Church, South Royalston 61


Baptist Church, West Royal- ston 61


Statuett of the Angel Gabriel 63


Old Baptist Church, Royalston Centre 73


Phinehas S. Newton Public Li- brary 108


Old Fire Engine 447


Amos Doane's Mill 449


Forbes Falls 43


Doanes Falls 44


Old Elm on Athol Road 45


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


Old Royall House and Slave Quarters 9


BIRTHPLACE OF GOV. ALEX. H. BULLOCK OLD BULLOCK MANSION-NOW SUMMER HOME OF DONALD M. HILL


-


---


CHAPTER I


EARLY LAND GRANTS


Not a town in this grand old Commonwealth of historic towns can boast of a better beginning or a more reputable heri- tage of name and blood. The proprietors and early settlers of Royalston were men of character whose influence can be traced throughout the whole structure of our nation, and they laid here on these splendid hills the foundation of a town in which the sterling qualities of the glorious days of old New England have come down through the generations.


The territory comprised in the township of Royalston passed from a public domain to private hands in two ways-by public sales and private grants. It was the last of the entire territory of Worcester County to be disposed of by grants and charters, and in this respect Royalston is the last and youngest of the towns of the County. Twenty-three hundred acres of its area were comprised in four grants, known as Pierpont's, Priests, Hapgood's, and a grant to Benoni Moore, Joseph Petty and Robert Cooper, while 28,357 acres were purchased at public sale by Samuel Watts, Thomas Hubbard, (then speaker of the House) Isaac Freeman, Joseph Richards, Isaac Royal, Caleb Dana, James Otis, Joseph Wilder, Jr., and John Chandler, Jr., the deed being given Dec. 27, 1752, and the price paid £1,348.


At a later date others famous in the annals of New England and National history became proprietors of Royalston soil. Among these were John Hancock, the first governor of Massa- chusetts, and first signer of the Declaration of Independence ; James Bowdoin, the second Governor of the State, while James Otis, one of the original proprietors, was the eloquent orator of the Revolution. The town had also at least one titled land owner, Lady Temple, widow of Sir John Temple, baronet, once owned eight hundred acres of Royalston soil.


The Proprietors held their meetings in Boston "at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern," and at the first meeting it was mo- tioned that the land aforesaid be called Royal-shire, and they


8


2


HISTORY OF ROYALSTON


unanimously agreed thereto, whereupon the Hon. Isaac Royal generously gave his word to give the Partners twenty-five pounds sterling towards a meeting house for said town. Here we first find our name which is later called Royalston.


These four grants that we have mentioned were bestowed as bounties for military services rendered, or for loyalty shown in other ways.


Pierpont's Grant was the largest of these and was located in the northeast corner of the present boundaries of the town, but who he was and why he received this land we have not been able to ascertain. This grant covered the territory which in the early part of the nineteenth century included the farms of John Wood, Joel and Daniel Taft, John Holman, Capt. William Chase, Jacob Hale, Joel Howard, Nathan Reed and William Withington.


Joseph Priest's Grant, which consisted of three hundred acres, was given him as a recognition of his loyalty in extending the hospitality of his half-way house near the easterly line of the town, to all those who passed that way to and from the French wars. This was located east of Pierpont's, and the name of Priest still lives in the beautiful little river that bears his name.




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