USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Petersham > An address delivered in Petersham, Massachusetts, July 4, 1854, in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of that town > Part 6
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* Ward's History of Shrewsbury.
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other ways; was honored with various trusts during the war of the Revolution ; and was a man of leading influence on the Whig side.
Towards the east side of the town, at the place now occupied by Mr. Brewer, lived and died Capt. WILLIAM BARRON ; a civil magistrate, a gentleman of refined manners, and a brave soldier. He had served in the English army with credit, before the Revolution, and held himself bound not to assume arms against the king, by the oath of allegiance which his commission had required him to take. He sided with the royal party in opinion and feeling, during that struggle, though he did not engage actively in the contest. He died in April, 1784, greatly, lamented .* - JOHN CHANDLER (the father of the late brothers, John and Nathaniel Chandler) was born in Worcester; was a brother of Nathaniel, the lawyer ; also a pupil, in early life, of John Adams ; lived, and carried on trade extensively, at the place afterward occupied by his son Nathaniel, and, more recently, by Mr. Rufus Bryant. In 1768, he represented the town in the Legislature; and, at various times, held other offices of importance. In the social life of the town,. his house and family held a conspicuous placc. - The two sons of Mr. Chandler, just named, JOHN and NATHANIEL, were known here, in the earlier part of their active lives, as men of extensive business, of large information, of great enterprise, and of prominent influence in the affairs of the town. John, the elder,
* His death is noticed, and his character briefly eulogized, in the " Massachusetts Spy " of May 6, 1781.
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was graduated at Harvard University in 1787; and, in the full vigor of his powers, was active, capable, public-spirited, and successful. He died in 1846, aged. about eighty. Nathaniel was graduated at Harvard College in 1792. He commenced the study of law with the Hon. Daniel Bigelow; but relinquished that study, and engaged in trade. His general informa- tion, united with a style of expression often pictu- resquely figurative, made his conversation at once instructive and entertaining. He removed to Lancas- ter, I think about twenty-five or thirty years ago, and died, within a few years, at an advanced age.
The first Representative sent by this town to the General Court was Joshua Willard, a son of Colonel Samuel Willard, of Lancaster, and brother of Colonel Samuel Willard, jun. (one of the first proprietors of this town), whose farm he took, after his death, in 1757. He represented the town in the years 1761 and 1763, the only years in which it was represented for the first fourteen years after its incorporation .* .
Of Ephraim Doolittle, I have already spoken. He came here from Worcester, before the Revolutionary War, and, not long after its close, removed to Shore- ham, Vt., where he died.
There are many more of whom I should like to make particular mention ; and of whom I would speak, if I
* After 1767, the town continued to be, for the most part, regularly represented in the General Court. In 1768, the usual vote, not to send, was passed; but the Selectmen were petitioned to call a new meeting subsequently, and John Chandler was chosen. Theophilus Chandler was chosen in 1769; Ruggles Spooner in 1770, and again in 1790. There is no record of any election in 1771. Ephraim Doolittle represented the town in 1772, '73, and '74; Jonathan Grout, in 1775 and '77; Capt. Elisha Ward, in 1776 and '77.
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did not suppose there might be a limit to your patience, and that by this time I must have found it. Of En- sign Man, I would say more. I would speak of Dea- cons Isaac Ward, David Sanderson, and William Willard; of Captain Park Holland; of Nathl. Mac- carty, who, though he was neither born nor died here, lived in town long enough to feel a deep interest in the prosperity and welfare of the place, which showed itself in generous gifts to the town for the support of public worship. I would speak of some of the earliest of the Spooners, Daniel, Wing, and Ruggles; of the Hapgoods, Hows, Neguses, Goddards, Wilders. Ah, well! I see not where would end the list of them of whom I would speak, were there time. I stop ab- ruptly; not because my subject is exhausted, but because I am sure your patience must be.
Our annals are humble, as you see : not very many noted events have transpired here. The farmers and mechanics of the town have pursued their vocations industriously, living generally amid peace and plenty. Agriculture has been the main employment of the people, than which none is more favorable to health, content, wholesome morals, and a quiet life. If the inhabitants of this town have sometimes been pretty warm in their political disputes, they have been uni- formly and steadfastly patriotic, and ever ready to do and to sacrifice their part for the common weal.
Some not unimportant manufactures have been car- ried on here. Who shall tell - somebody, I hope, will, before this day's sunset - how largely the labors
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of the women of this town have contributed, not merely to the protection of manly toil beneath the summer's sun, east, west, north, and south, but how much they have contributed to the wealth and pros- perity of this town ; not only putting hats on many a . head abroad, but helping to put coats on many a back, and meat in many mouths, at home ? *
Buttons and shoes in the later days, pearlash in the former, have been produced here to a considerable extent.
In the time of the war, when gunpowder was a prime want, the town undertook the production of saltpetre and sulphur, not, I believe, with great suc- cess, or to much profit. It was not the hope of profit, however, but patriotism, that prompted the attempt.
The manufacture of salt was also carried on by the town for a while, down at Rochester Shore, when an interrupted commerce prevented the supply of that important article from abroad. It proved burdensome, and not very satisfactory in its results, and was ere long abandoned.
We who are gathered here to-day are doubtless a somewhat different type of men and women from the fathers and mothers who began a plantation here in: 1733, and a town in 1754. Probably they who meet here to celebrate a second centennial, in 1954, will as much differ from us. May the history which we find well begun be found of them well continued! May
* The manufacture of palm-leaf hats has been extensively carried on in this place for many years. The hats are braided by women and children, whose labor has been, in many families, sufficient to maintain, wholly or in great part, the entire house- hold.
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the venerable old town, - I think we may now begin to call her venerable, - may she receive honor both from those who go out from her, and from those who stay at home ! and may the day never, NEVER come, when one shall be ashamed to say that he had his birthplace within her borders ! *
* Appendix M.
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APPENDIX.
APPENDIX.
A. - PAGE 9.
PETITION AND GRANT.
"To His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq" Captain General & Governour in Chief In & Over His Majestis Province of the Massachusetts Bay the IIonble the Council & Representatives In Gen" Court assembled at Boston April the 5th 1733
" The memorial of John Bennet & Jeremiah Perley for them- selves and the Reste of the persons whose Names are hereunto subscribed :
" Humbley Showeth That whereas your memorialists In the month of January 1731 & at the Beginning of this present session viz; In May laste Severally prefered their Petishons or memo- rials to your Excelcy & Honours seting forth the Hardship & Diffi -. cult marches they vnderwent as volunters under the Comand of. the Late Capte Lovell & Cap" White after the Inden Enemy and Into their Countrey & praying In consideration thereof to be favour- ed with the Grant of a township & as by the several Petishons aforsaid will fully aper unto which the memorialistes would Refer, & Inasmuch as Nothing has Ben acted or Done thareon for the Benifit of the memorialists by your Excellency & Honours They are there- fore Nesesitated once more to apley to your Exellency & Honours Humbley praing that you will be pleased to take the Case of the memorialists into your wise & Gracious Consideration that so their former petitions may be Received & Reconsidered & that they may meet with Such Due Encouragement for their Paste Sarvis by the favour of your Excellency & Honours as to have the Grant
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of a township of six miles square in the unappropriated Lands of Province thay being a comptent Number for such a settlement ; - & the place which they are Desirous to settle on if it be your Excellency & Honours Plesure is situated In the Western parte of this 'Province beginning six miles from Rutland northweste Corner to the westward thereof and Running to the westward six miles & bounding southerly on Rutland Township which will leave and well accommodate the setlers for a town between this & the Narowganset township your memorialists being varry willing & desirous to be subject to such Conditions Rules & Restrictions in their settlement as your Excellency and Honours shall see meet & as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c
" Benoni Boyenten, Moses Hazzen, William Hutchins, Caleb Dolton, John Hazzen, Jacob Perley, Samuel Stickney, Phinias Foster, Steven Merril, Benjamin Barker, Robart Ford, Abner Brown, Samuel Hilton, John White, Benjamin Wallker, Joseph Reed, John Baker, John Goss, Joseph Wrighte, Richard Hall, Oliver Pollard, Samuel Fletcher, John Dunton, William Spalding, John Varnum, John Leveston Junr., Joseph Whelock, Robarte Phelps, Jonathan Houghton, Jacob Emes, Henry Willard, John Bennet, Jeremiah Perley, & in behalf of Joshua Hutchins, Jathro Eames, Jonas Houghton, Ezra Sawyer, James Hougliton, Samuel Sawyer, Aron Rice, Jonathan * Adams, Moses Chandler, Samuel Rugg, Jonathan Atherton, Ephraim Houghton, Jonathan Wilson, Steven Houghton, Heirs of Samuel Mossman, Benjamin Gates, Fairbanks Moores, Joseph Whitcomb, Samuel Larned, Danil Houghton, Peter Atherton, John Wilder, Edward Houghton, Henry Houghton, David Whetcomb, Timothy Hale, Jonathan Parling, Samuel Brown, John Sawyer, Joseph Willson, Samuel Willard, Ephraim Farnsworth, Edward Hartwell, Ruben Farnsworth."
When the General Court acted on the above memorial, they required the following persons to be admitted among the proprietors, viz., Thomas Farmer, Henry Coulburn, Jonathan Farrer, Samuel Shaddock, Samuel . Trull [some- : times written in other papers, Terril], Jacob Corey, Joshua Webster, Abiel Foster, Samuel Tarbol; and the following, among the petitioners to be excluded from becoming gran-
* Incorrectly printed Jonas, on page 15 of the Address.
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tees, viz., Edward Hartwell, Joseph Wright, Joseph Whe- lock, Robart Phelps, and Jonathan Houghton, jun. After the nine were added and five excluded, the whole number was seventy-one.
On page 15 of the Address (note), the number of pro- prietors is said to be seventy-two. This is a mistake : there were seventy-two after the minister had settled upon his division ; but he did not come till 1738.
B. - PAGE 12.
KILLING OF THE TEN INDIANS.
More detailed accounts of this expedition may be found in Fox's History of Dunstable; New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. v .; Belknap's History of New Hampshire, vol. ii .; Penhallow's Indian Wars, in New Hampshire Historical Collection, vol. i,; and New England Courant of March 1, 1725 .* These accounts, though dif- fering in minuteness and fulness, present no very material disagreements, except in the number of men belonging to Lovell's party. Penhallow says there were sixty men ; the New England Courant rates them at fifty ; Belknap (whose. authority is Hugh Adams's MS.) says forty; Fox (citing " Report of Committees on the Subject in Massachusetts Records," as his authority) makes the number fifty-eight ; while a paper is on file in the office of the Secretary of State, headed " deca [declaration] of Persons w" ye 10 Indians were killed," and containing sixty-two names without that of Lovell. Two of these names, however, appear to be dupli- cates. I give this roll here, Italicizing the names of those who became proprietors in the plantation of Nichewaug.
* It will be noticed by the careful reader, that the date, December, 1734, on page 11 of the Address, is a misprint for 1724.
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Those printed in small capitals were among the petitioners, but were expressly excluded from proprietorship by the Legislature : -
Jnº White, Sam: Tarbol, Jer: Hunt, Eben: Wright, Jos: Read, Sam. Moor, Phin. Foster, Fra Doyen, S. Hilton, Jnº Pollard, Ben. Walker, JOS. WRIGHT, Jnº Varnum, Rob Ford, Ben. Parker, Sam. Shattock, Jacob Ames, Jnº Stephens, JOS. WHEELOCK, Sam. Saw- yer, Ezra Sawyer, Jona Houghton, James Houghton, Hen'y Willard, Jacob Gates, Joseph Whitcomb, Samt Learned, ROBT PHELPS, Moses Graves, Moses Hazzen, John Livingston, Jerem. Pearly, Wm Hutchins, Jacob Cory, Oliver Pollard, Samt Trull, Win Spal- den, Samul Fletcher, Jnº Duncon, Jethro Ames, John Sawyer, Moses Chandler, Josep[h] Willson, Jona Parks, Joshua Webster, Sam1 Johnson, Steph. Murrill, Jacob Pearly, John Hazzen, Eb: [Abner ?] Brown, Jona Ferren [Farrer in the other list], Sam. Stickney, Joshua Hutchins, Benony Boynton, Eph. Farnsworth, Thos Farmer, Reuben Farnsworth, Rich. Hall, Neh. Robinson, Caleb Dolton.
For farther notices of Captain Lovell (whose name is frequently written Lovewell), see Worcester Magazine, vol. i., p. 20 ; Fox's History of Dunstable; New England Historical and Genealogical Register for January, 1853.
C. - PAGE 15.
PROPRIETORS AND EARLY SETTLERS.
I subjoin here a few such additional particulars as I have been able to collect concerning the origin of some of those who began the town, proprietors, and early comers. Many of the facts here given, as well as those of the preceding pages upon the same topic, are derived from the Registry of Deeds in Worcester : -
Jonas Houghton, of Lancaster, was a surveyor, and was em- ployed by the proprietors to make the first improvements in their roads.
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Captain Fairbank Moor was of Lancaster, in 1731. In March, 1737, he removed with his family to Narragansett, No. 2 [ West- minster ], of which town, says Whitney, "he was the first planter."
Joseph Whitcomb, of Lancaster, conveyed land in Nichewaug to Jonathan Prescott, of Littleton, in 1740. A "famous" farm in Lancaster, on the road to Lunenburgh, "lately owned by Capt. Joseph Whitcomb," is advertised in the Massachusetts Spy of June 24, 1784.
Daniel and Jonathan Houghton lived in that part of Lancaster which became Bolton in 1738.
Benoni Boyenton had been of Townsend before he was of Lunenburgh.
Jethro Eames, who was of Lancaster, in 1718, is recorded in the Registry of Deeds at Worcester, as being of "Kingstown, county of Hampshire " in 1734.
Samuel Rugg, a blacksmith, was of Hadley, in 1734.
Samuel Larned was of Milford, Conn., in 1735.
Jonathan Farrin was of "Almsbury". [Amesbury ?], Essex County, in 1735.
William Hutchins was of Exeter, in 1736.
Jonathan Atherton was of Hadley, in 1737.
John Hezin [Hazen] was of Rowley, in 1738-9.
The Mossmans were of Sudbury.
. Abner Brown was a tanner, of North Yarmouth, in Maine, in 1735.
Joseph Read was of Woburn.
Richard Hall, a blacksmith, of "Tewsbury " [Tewksbury ?], in 1738.
Oliver Pollard was of Bedford, in 1733.
John Duncan [or Dunton, or Dunkin, as it was variously written ] was from Chelmsford or Worcester; Daniel Duncan, his son, came to Nichewaug from Worcester.
In compliance with a requisition from the General Court, made near the end of 1750, the proprietors' clerk returned a list of the actual settlers then in the town, as far as he was able to do so within the time granted him, naming also the proprietor on whose " right," or lot, each was settled.
The report closes thus : -
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"There are divers others settled on Divisions belonging to the same Rights that are here setled; but the time being so short since I saw the act in the Prints that I am not able at present to give an exact account what particular Rights they are all setled on & convay the same to the General Assembly by the time apointed
" but the number of famalies in Said Township are sixty one."
The number of settlers mentioned by name in the clerk's list is forty-seven. The names of so many of these as I have been able to couple with any information respecting them are here given, with such brief notices of them as I have been able to collect. A few other carly settlers are also mentioned. Several of them will be recognized as still fami- liar names in the town : -
John Stowell, jun., was from Worcester. He lived first at the house where the widow Lydia Stowell last lived, then on the hill back of the Benjamin Chandler Place; next at the Doane Place, which he exchanged for the Rufus Stowell Place, his last resi- dence. He was killed by the fall of a tree, in April, 1791, at the age of sixty-five. His wife Sarah, who was from Sudbury, lived till 1830, and died at the age of ninety-nine years and nine months.
Jacob Wheeler, the grandfather of Mr. David Wheeler, who now lives at the age of eighty-seven, was from Southborough, and settled at the Peter Chamberlain Place.
Samuel Willson, who is supposed to have been a brother of Joseph, and to have come from Lancaster, lived at the Peckham Place, opposite the house now occupied by Dr. William Park- hurst. He was here in 1738.
Nathaniel Sanderson, the grandfather of the late John and Cur- tis Sanderson, was from Framingham.
David Sanderson came from Weston, was chosen deacon of the church in July, 1750; for twenty years was clerk of the town, eleven years selectman, besides holding many other offices of trust and honor from the town.
Nathan Goddard was probably from Shrewsbury, from which place Robert (younger brother of Nathan?) came and settled
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about 1752. Robert Goddard settled near the place where his 1
son, Stephen Goddard, now lives at an advanced age. Mr. Stephen Goddard says, that, when his father built his house, there was no house between that and what is now called the Factory Village.
Isaac Ward, son of Obadiah Ward, of Worcester, was chosen first deacon of the church in Nichewaug, December 22, 1738. IIe removed from Petersham to Amherst, and thence to Leverett about 1775, where lie died, October, 1777, " on the day the news reached there of the surrender of Burgoyne and his army. So electrified were the people by the welcome intelligence, all ran to communi- cate it, even to the dying. While in that situation, a neighbor came in, and told him that BURGOYNE HAD SURRENDERED ! He roused a little, and asked, 'Can I depend upon it ?' 'Yes,' was the reply. He answered, 'Very well !'' which were his last words." - Ward Family, by Andrew Henshaw Ward.
Elisha Ward, the father of the late Henry Ward, Esq., removed to Petersham from Shrewsbury, in 1764. His father, Col. Nahum Ward, of Shrewsbury, was a cousin of Deacon Isaac, named above. Elisha was a younger brother of the distinguished Major-General Artemas Ward of the revolutionary army.
Christopher Page was from Hardwick, - came about 1749.
David Page, from Lunenburgh, and came about the same time.
Sylvanus How, the father of Washington How, was the son of Jonathan How, of Marlborough. Preceding pages give evidence that he felt an active interest, and took a prominent part, in the revolutionary contest. He was born in 1727, and died in 1802.
Zedekiah Stone was a son of Samuel Stone, of Framingham. He was here as early as 1738. David Stone was his brother, and came in 1748 to Nichewaug, taking the farm which a younger brother, named Samuel, had occupied.
Daniel Miles was from Pomfret, Conn.
George Robbins, from Harvard, and was here in 1738, when the church was gathered.
William Negus came from Worcester. He was father of a numerous family of children ; three of whom were born in Wor- cester and Framingham, before his removal to Nichewaug.
James Clements lived at the place afterwards owned and occu- pied by John Chandler, Esq. He must have been among the first settlers of the town ; for he was one of the number gathered into the church in 1738. The farm on which he lived is now in the possession of a descendant.
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Thomas Rogers was from Billerica ; came in 1740.
Mr. Daniel Spooner, father of Wing, and grandfather of the late Wing Spooner, was probably from Dartmouth, and came about 1749 ; he was chosen deacon of the church in 1750; lived at the place known more recently as the Clapp Spooner Place.
Thomas Adams was one of the original members of the church, and was chosen one of its first two deacons; removed to Charles- town, N.II., 1754.
Josiah Lyon was from Dedham ; came about 1740; is supposed to have gone from here to Shrewsbury, and thence to Grafton.
Jonas Farnsworth was from Groton; was here in 1738 ; kept a public house on the spot near which the large elm now stands, and where the public house, long kept by Mr. Silas Foster, was burned in the great fire of 1847. He went from here in 1757 to Groton. Kenelm Winslow was his successor as innkeeper, and remained at the same stand about twenty years.
Reuben Farnsworth, from Harvard, was here in 1738.
Samuel Chamberlain was here from Billerica about 1750.
Earl Flagg came to Nichewaug about 1736, from Framingham.
Rev. Thomas Frink, successively pastor of churches in Rutland, Plymouth, and Barre, was quite an extensive proprietor of Niche- waug lands for some time. There is no positive evidence that he ever lived here himself, so far as is known; though he may have done so in the interval between the time of his dismission from the Rutland Church in 1740, and his settlement in Plymouth in 1744, or in that between 1748, when he left Plymouth, and 1753, when he was installed in Barre. A committee appointed to "seat the meeting-house " in Nichewaug, in 1744, assigned a pew to him, which gives some reason to think that he may have been at that time a resident in the place.
In beginning these notices of persons and families early settled here, my purpose was to extend them much farther; but my remoteness from many principal sources of informa- tion has made them so meagre, that it may be doubted, indeed, whether they were not as well omitted altogether. I have had such a doubt myself. As a hint, however, that here is a line of inquiry which ought to be pursued, I con- clude to let them stand.
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A diagram is here given, which may be supposed to rep- resent the division of the ground-floor of the meeting-house and its occupation in 1744 or '5; the data being given for it. by the report of a committee appointed to seat the meeting-
NORTH.
John Wilder.
Jotham Brigham.
Lieut. Jona. Prescott.
Pulpit.
Thomas Rogers.
William Chandler.
Samuel Sawyer.
Deacons' Seat.
Rev. Thos.
Frink.
Deacon
Isaac Ward.
Mr. Keith.
Heirs of
Col. Wood.
WEST DOOR.
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EAST DOOR.
Joseph Willson.
Jonas
Farnsworth.
Stairs to Gallery.
Edward Goddard.
Samuel Willard, jr.
Col. Samuel Willard.
Rev. Mr. Whitney.
Samuel Belknap.
Ebenezer Hill.
Front Dou- ble Doors.
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SOUTH.
FIRST MEETING-HOUSE.
D. - PAGE 29.
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Stairs to Gallery.
[The space which is lined was occupied with long open seats. ]
WOMEN'S SIDE.
MEN'S SIDE.
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house in 1744. (See Proprietors' Records.) The commit- tee consisted of Daniel Miles, Isaac Ward, Samuel Willard, jun., and Samuel Stone. They were elected "to divide the pew-ground, and also to seat the meeting-house." It was voted, that their instructions "be these, to wit : that cach man shall be seated according to what land they now pos- sess." At an adjourned meeting, instructions were added " that the committee chosen for seating the meeting-house do have some regard to age."
In 1750, "the two hind seats on each side the middle alley " were granted to Lieut. Zedekiah Stone, Earl Flagg, James Clemence, and David Stone, "in order for building pews."- Prop. Rec.
At a reseating of the meeting-house in 1756, it was voted, " that Capt. Nathaniel Wilder, David Lawson, Jonathan Marble, and Ephraim Rice, be seated in the foreseat below :" the rest was left to the discretion of the committee. At dif- ferent times subsequently, parties, consisting of several persons, were permitted to unite to build pews in different parts of the gallery, on condition of their keeping the windows against them in repair.
In June, 1762, at a town-meeting, it was " voted to give the number of young women the hind seat on the women's side gallery, in order to build a pew on their own cost ; viz., Sarah Rice, Eunice Wilder, Parsis Bouker, Esther Holland, Mehitable Page, Hannah Walker, Ruth Page, Sarah Curtis, Molly Curtis, Susannah Miles, Jershua [Jeru- sha ?] Hudson, Sarah Sanderson, Martha Negus, Ifaddasa Houghton, Ann Wheeler."
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