USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > Athol, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 11
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After his return from the war, he worked four years for the Vermont & Mass. R. R. Co., was in the machine business in Athol for five years, and commencing in 1874, was employed by the Fitchburg Railroad Co. as locomotive foreman for thirteen and a half years, his home being for several years at North Adams. He returned to Athol in 1890; which has since been his home. He is a member of the Methodist church and one of its trustees. He was married Oct. 19, 1854, to Charlotte D. Bailey of Lunenburg, Mass. They have one daughter, Miss Idella Oliver.
Hiram A. Bancroft, the fifteenth Commander, was born Dec. 21, 1847, in Templeton. His parents moved to Phillipston when he was eight years of age, from which place he enlisted Oct. 26, 1863, in Co. G, 34th Mass. Volunteers, being at the time less than sixteen years of age. He joined his regiment at Harper's Ferry, Va , in January, 1864, and was under Gen. Sigel in the Shenan- doah Valley, on Hunter's raid to Lynchburg, and after- wards under Gen. Sheridan at the time of his famous ride from Winchester to Cedar Creek ; was afterwards trans- ferred to the army of the James, and in 1865, to the army of the Potomac, where he was engaged in the final cap- ture of Petersburg and Richmond and the surrender of Lee. He was transferred to the 34th Mass. Regiment, and was finally mustered out of service Jan. 20, 1866. He was married Dec. 22, 1876, to Miss Lizzie Moore of Athol. He joined the Grand Army Post of Orange in 1869, and later was transferred to Parker Post, of which he was elected commander for 1894 and again for 1895.
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HUBBARD V. SMITH POST, NO. 140 G. A. R.
This post was organized Feb. 22, 1882, with twenty-five charter members, and was composed almost wholly of com- rades residing in the lower village. Chief Mustering offi- cer A. C. Monroe, was the installing officer, and the first meetings were held in Phoenix hall on Exchange street, and then in Cardany's block, until December, 1886, when the present fine hall was dedicated, which has since been the home of the Post. The Commanders of the Post have been Wm. E. Jaquith, Lewis H. Sawin, Wm. H. Heustis, Levi C. Sawin, W. H. Mellen and Geo. A. Bennett.
Hubbard V. Smith, from whom the Post takes its name, was a son of Abner and Florilla Smith, and was born in Shutesbury, April 27, 1840. He came with his parents to Athol in 1850, attended the public schools, and was one of the first to join the army from this town on the breaking out of the Rebellion, enlisting in Co. F, 2d Mass. Infantry ; was in the Shenandoah campaign under Gen. Burke, and was wounded on the retreat from Winchester, May 25. 1862, a minie ball entering his body just above the right hip, and passing so nearly through him that it was extracted above the left hip. He was taken prisoner, and when the rebels were obliged to retreat, he was paroled for exchange ; after being in hospitals at Harper's Ferry and Annapolis for several months he was able to come home in October, and was discharged Jan. 1, 1863. After his return home he went to Wilbraham Academy, but his wound was so troublesome that he was obliged to return home ; he suffered a great deal and died Aug. 2, 1867.
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William E. Jaquithi, the first Commander, was born in Orford, N. H., Sept. 9, 1838. Most of his life has been spent in railroad work, he having served as section fore- man on the Rutland and Burlington, Rutland and Wash- ington, Worcester and Nashua, and New London North ern railroads previous to coming to Athol in 1876. At that time he became a foreman on the Fitchburg railroad, which position he filled for nearly twenty years.
On Aug. 29, 1862, he enlisted in Co. A, 15th Regi- ment Vermont Volunteers. He was married April 3, 1867, in Keene, N. H., to Miss Addie D. Fisher. Since residing in Athol, Mr. Jaquith has been deeply interested in the Grand Army, having joined Parker Post in 1877, and was one of the organizers of Hubbard V. Smith Post in 1882, being its first Commander, and serving in that position at different times for five years. He was instru- mental in the organization of the Gen. W. T. Sherman Camp Sons of Veterans, and also of the Woman's Relief Corps. He was Aide De Camp on the staff of Command- er in-Chief Palmer of the Grand Army, and a delegate to the National Encampment at Milwaukee.
Lewis H. Sawin, the second Commander of the Post, was born in Athol Oct. 5, 1845. He was educated in the public schools of the town, and went from the High school into the Navy, in which he enlisted March 6, 1862. For four months he was on the Receiving Ship Ohio, at the Charlestown Navy Yard, and was then transferred to the Gun Boat Sonoma, The Sonoma was sent to the James River, and remained there until McCellan made his famous retreat, when she was sent up the Potomac to
HUBBARD V. SMITH.
WILLIAM E. JAQUITH.
LEWIS H. SAWIN.
LEVI C. SAWIN.
WILLIAM H. MELLEN.
GEORGE A. BENNETT.
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Washington, and joined the flying squadron in the West Indies. While on this cruise the Sonoma took three vessels ; this was the first gunboat to go through the ob- structions at Savannah, and did picket duty at Charles- ton the next night after the surrender of the city. He re- ceived his discharge from the Navy March 17, 1865. Af- ter returning home he went to a business college in New Haven, and worked in Boston for a year. Was engaged in the grocery business in Athol, under the firm name of Packard & Co. for about three years, and was in the em- ploy of Smith & Jaquith at Templeton four years, and for nearly twenty years has been book-keeper for the Athol Machine Co. In 1891, served on the staff of Commander- in-Chief Veazv. Is a member of the Sons of Veterans and the Knights of Honor. Was married June 22, 1869, to Miss Marietta Bangs of Leverett.
Levi C. Sawin, the fourth Commander, was born in Ashburnham. Aug. 11, 1838. When sixteen years of age he went to Fitchburg and learned the machinists' trade, and afterwards the carriage makers trade, which occupa- tion he has ever since followed. He went to Gardner and engaged in business for himself, where he enlisted in Co. G, 53d Mass. Regiment, and remained with his regiment during its term of service. On his return from the war he resumed his business in Gardner, where he remained un- til 1876, when he came to Athol, where he has built up a flourishing business. In 1864, he married Miss Ruth E. Temple of Gardner. While in Ashburnham he joined the Methodist church, of which denomination he has since been a member, and is one of the trustees of the Athol
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church. Mr. Sawin was commander of the Post for three successive years, and has been captain of the Athol Divis- ion Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias. He was also one of the constables of Athol for nine years.
William H. Mellen, the fifth Commander, was born in Spofford, N. Y., Nov. 9. 1842, being the youngest of a family of eiglit children ; removed with his father's family to North Orange, Mass., when but a few years old. He learned the mechanics trade at Templeton, and on the breaking out of the war of the rebellion enlisted in Co. A. 21st Mass. Volunteers, and was mustered into the U. S. service Aug. 23d, 1861. He was in the battles of Roa- noke Island, Newbern, Camden and Second Bull Run, in the last of which he was wounded and sent to hospitals in Philadelphia, Washington and Portsmouth Grove, R. I. Was discharged from the service May 6, 1864. In July, 1864, he was married to Miss Gertrude E. Squire of Rus- sia, Herkimer Co., N. Y. He returned to Templeton and resumed his trade, remaining there about a year, when in company with J. W. Lamb, he engaged in the manu- facture of pine and chestnut furniture in the town of Or- ange, under the firm name of Mellen & Lamb. In 1881, they bought a steam mill and did custom sawing ; later Mr. Mellen purchased his partner's interest, and is still en- gaged in the same business, having converted into lumber upwards of twenty million feet of logs.
He was elected as Commander of Hubbard V. Smith Post for 1891, and re-elected to the same position for 1892, and served on Department Commander Innis staff in 1890. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor
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and Knights of Pythias. He was elected on the board of Selectmen for 1894, and was re-elected in 1895 and 1896, serving the latter year as chairman. He was also elected to represent the First Worcester District in the Legisla- ture of 1897.
George A. Bennett was born in Salem, Mass., April 21st, 1844. He received his education in the public schools of that city, and after leaving school was apprent- iced to learn the cooper's trade. He enlisted Aug. 21, 1862. in Co. A, 50th Mass. Regiment, serving one year, and then re-enlisted in the 13th Unattached Co. M. V. M., and also later in Co. E, 1st Frontier Cavalry. After returning from the war he learned the shoe cutting busi- ness, and since 1878 has been employed as foreman of cut- ting rooms by S. B. Fuller & Son at Essex, Mass., for Francis W. Breed at factories in Lynn and Rochester, N. H., coming to Athol with Mr. Breed in the fall of 1887. For the last three years he has been employed as foreman for Hill & Greene. He was married April 7th, 1874, to Miss Helen F. Lufkin of Essex, Mass.
The first few years after the observance of Memorial Day was commenced, Parker Post united with the Orange Post in the decoration ceremonies and exercises in both towns, the speaking being by local speakers. The most distinguished soldier of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic who ever participated in the exercises of Memorial Day in Athol, was Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, who was the honored guest of Athol comrades on Memorial Day, 1873, when the greatest Memorial Day demonstration ever witnessed in this section of the state took place.
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The town was profusely decorated with flags and bunt- ing, and Depot Square was thronged with an immense crowd when the morning train arrived with General Burn- side, accompanied by Gen. Richmond and Sergt. Plunkett, the armless hero of Fredericksburg, and as these old heroes were received by Gen. Hoyt, and escorted to the barouche in waiting for them, the enthusiasm and demon- strations of the veterans of the Grand Army was almost beyond description. The procession, which extended from the Pequoig House, nearly to the Lower Village cemetery, included Parker Post, the Grand Army Posts of Gardner and Orange, the Athol Fire Department, Father Matthew Temperance Society, the school children, and nearly one hundred carriages containing the citizens of the town.
Speeches were made by Gens. Burnside and Richmond in front of the Summit House at the Upper Village, and in the afternoon Music Hall was filled with nearly two thousand people to listen to the exercises. The Memorial day orators since that occasion have been as follows : 1874, Hon. Rufus Livermore of Orange ; 1875, Hon. Geo. S. Boutwell ; 1877, Col. J. A. Titus of Worcester ; 1878, Hon. Frank Gargan of Boston ; 1879, Col. W. S. B. Hop- kins of Worcester ; 1880, Capt. A. A. White of the 36th Regiment ; 1881, William H. Hart of Chelsea ; 1882, Gen. S. G. Griffin of Keene, N. H .; 1883, Rev. Melville Smith of Newburyport ; 1884, Hon. J. R. Thayer of Wor- cester ; 1885, Rev. Geo. S. Ball of Upton, chaplain of the 21st Mass. Regiment ; 1886, Rev. P. M. Vinton of Athol ; 1887, Capt. John F. Ashley of Gardner of the 53d Regi- ment ; 1888, Col. Asa L. Kneeland of Worcester, an old
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Athol soldier of the 32d Regiment ; 1889, Rev. I. J Lansing of Worcester ; 1890, Rev. F. O. Hall of Fitch- burg ; 1891, Wm. H. Bartlett of Worcester ; 1892, C. S Chapin of Fitchburg ; 1893, Prof. A. S. Roe of Worcester; 1894, J. B. McCabe, Commander-in-chief of the Sons of Veterans of the United States ; 1895, Col. G. W. Hooker of Brattleboro, Vt .; 1896. Past Department Commander Geo. S. Evans of Cambridge.
GEN. W. T. SHERMAN CAMP NO. 65, SONS OF VETERANS.
This Camp was organized May 26, 1886, with twenty- one charter members. The present membership is fifty. The first captain was W. D. Mellen, and C. H. Upham and Edward Hosmer served during 1887. The Captains since that time have been: F. H. Brock. 1888, F. H. Sprague, 1889, C. W. Chapin, 1890, '91, E. H. White, 1892, F. P. Hall, 1893, W. B. Gould. 1894, H. L. Doane, 1895. P. H. Starrett. 1896.
HOYT POST, NO. 3. MATRONS OF THE REPUBLIC.
Post 3. Matrons of the Republic, was organized as aux- iliary to Parker Post. at Athol Centre, May 3, 1878. The object of the organization is to assist Parker Post in caring for disabled soldiers and their families, and during the eighteen years of its existence, has expended upwards of three thousand dollars in relief work. Soldiers wives, widows, mothers, sisters, daughters and Sons of Veterans' wives, only, are eligible to membership in the Post. Those who have served as Commanders, are: Mrs. Mary A. Hoyt, 1878, '79; Mrs. Sarah L. Drury, 1879, '80 ; Mrs. Mercie S. Doane, 1881, 82, '83, '84 ; Mrs. Fannie Kil-
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burn, 1885 ; Mrs. Mary F. Wellman, 1885 ; Mrs. Abbie A. Hill, 1886, '87, '96 ; Mrs. Kate J. Oliver, 1888, '89; Mrs. Carrie M. Pond, 1890, '91, '94, '95 ; Mrs. Nettie C. Stevens, 1892, '93.
HUBBARD V. SMITH, WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS, NO. 82.
The Woman's Relief Corps, No. 82, auxiliary to Hub- bard V. Smith Post, was organized Feb. 22, 1887, with forty-one charter members. The officers were installed by Mrs. Mary M. Perry of Springfield. The organization has done, and is doing, a grand work in comforting sorrowing hearts and relieving the necessities of needy ones, and ranks high in the state department for relief work. The present membership is one hundred and ninety-seven.
The Presidents have been : Mrs. Clare H. Burleigh, who served three years, Miss Minerva K. Pitts one year, Mrs. Mercie S. Doane two years, Mrs. Julia Hamilton three years. Mrs. Sarah H. Smith, who now holds the office is serving on her second term. Mrs. Smith is a daughter of the late Lyman W. Hapgood, and has always been prominently identified with the musical and social circles of the town. She has for some time been the Sec- retary of the Public Library committee.
Mrs. Clare Hoyt Burleigh, daughter of Dr. Geo. Hoyt, was born in Athol. Her early education was obtained in the Athol schools, after which she attended the famous Seminary of the Misses Stone in Greenfield for a year and a half, and was also a pupil for about the same length of time of Mrs. Willard's celebrated Seminary in Troy N. Y. Her musical and art education was obtained under
CLARE H. BURLEIGH.
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the instruction of some of the most distinguished teachers of Boston and New York; among them were Madame Ar- nault, Keller and Kriessman of Boston, Bassini of New York and Madame Nora of the Royal Academy. She was the only soprano soloist in Christ and St. John's churches at Hartford, Conn. for six or seven years. She was mar ried in Kansas, April 22, 1869, to H. M. Burleigh, Esq., who died in March, 1894. She is a graceful and able writer, and in the early days of the Athol Transcript was the writer of its editorials, and has contributed poems and sketches for various magazines and papers, also for many local celebrations and anniversaries. A number of these poems have been collected into a volume bearing the title ot " A Four-Leaved Clover and Wayside Rhymes."
Her greatest work, however. has been done for the vet- erans of the late war and their dependents. Instrumental in the organization of the local Woman's Relief Corps, she was its first President, which position she held for three years. Her enthusiastic and earnest work caused her to be recognized in the State Department, where she served as Department Inspector, Junior and Senior Vice Presidents, and finally in February. 1894, was elected President of the Woman's Relief Corps of Massachusetts. A woman of more than average talent, gifted as a public speaker, and possessed of great executive ability, she held that position with honor to herself and the women of Massachusetts. Soon after her retirement from that office she was offered the position of Superintendent of the National Home of the Woman's Relief Corps, at Madison, Ohio, which she accepted. and where she is now engaged.
CHAPTER XI.
FIRE DEPARTMENT. "A little fire is quickly trodden out; which, being suffer'd, rivers cannot quench."
T a town meeting held April 7, 1817, a committee consisting of James Oli- ver, Geo. Oliver and James Humph- rey, chosen to investigate in regard to a fire engine made the following report : "As to the engine, your committee are of the opinion that a large majority of the inhabitants of the town could not be directly benefitted by it, but as it will be a benefit to the whole town to have the buildings of any of the inhabitants preserved from fire, we are of the opinion the town will be willing to be at one third part of the expense, if individuals should see fit to pay the residue of the expense of obtaining one all which is submitted."
The recommendation of the committee was adopted by the town. The origin and minutes of Fire Engine No. 2, are first recorded under date of May 26, 1817, and at a
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meeting of the inhabitants of the town, a committee is ap- pointed to confer with the town's committee to carry in- to effect the intentions of the subscribers, viz : to purchase a good effective engine.
George Fitts, Esq., an Athol mechanic, is engaged to build an engine upon the conditions, that if it does not answer a good and sufficient purpose, and answer the ex- pectations of those concerned in it, and be satisfactory as to price. the committee shall not be under obligation to re- ceive it. As the records further state, that three hundred dollars was paid to G. Fitts, Esq. for engine, we conclude that it proved satisfactory in all respects. The sum of thirty-six dollars was also paid Morton & Sheldon for twelve buckets, and of the total amount individuals paid two hundred and twenty-four dollars, and the town one hundred and twelve dollars.
The engine men appointed for this engine were as fol- lows: Ebenezer Sheldon, Charles Crosby, Josiah M. Jones, Alden Spooner, Asa Spooner, William Hoar, Peter Wilder, Loring Hascall, Theodore Jones, Paul Morse, George Fitts, James Brown, David Orcut, Joel Kendall, Jr., Wm. Fowler, Wm. Morse, Nathaniel Wilder. The old records of this company refer to suppers had at early candle lighting at Z. Field's and at Mr. Preston's. At one of these festive occasions, the company from the Lower Village, with the Selectmen, Fire Wards and others, were invited guests, who, "to the number of about eighty, took supper, drank toasts and had a jovial time, all which was done in order." Occasionally a vote like the following is recorded : " Voted that the company after the roll call
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return to the tavern, for the purpose of taking something to cheer up their spirits, and that the clerk should pay for the same out of the fine moneys."
There was also an engine and a company in the Lower Village at the same time, and the records of 1817 read as follows: "We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the town of Athol, are appointed by the gentlemen selectmen of the town to man and exercise said engine : Eliphalet Thorp, Adin Holbrook, Ezra Fish, Perley Sibley, Stephen Har- wood, William Newhall, David Young, Jr., David Har- wood, Reuben Fairbanks. Amos Blodgett, John H. Morse, Thomas Barry, Gideon Sibley, Moses Fish, Ira Thorp." The meetings of this company were held at the old " fact- ory store," for which they seemed to have a singular affec- tion, for a term of years, and where undoubtedly their warm deliberations were slaked by installments of "moun- tain dew."
In 1840, it was voted to raise. sixty dollars to furnish a suitable carriage to convey the ladders and hooks belong- ing to fire engine No. 2, and also to furnish suitable sleds to carry the engines of the town in winter in case of fire, and also a reward of two dollars was voted to the person who shall be first at the depositories of the engines with suitable horses in case of fire.
In the summer of 1846, the town purchased two hand fire engines, one for the Upper, and one for the Lower Village. The one for the former was called the Despatch, and that for the latter the Tiger. The officers of the Tiger were C. W. Bannon, foreman, E. A. Puffer, Ist as- sistant, Russell Smith, 2d assistant, Henry Mason, Jr.,
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clerk. David Drury, foreman of leading hose, F. G. Lord, foreman of suction hose, Rufus Putnam, steward ; the company numbered forty-five men. The Despatch had as officers : J. R. Pierce, foreman, Erastus Smith, clerk and Ist assistant, Samuel A. Hill, foreman of leading hose, Wilder Stratton, foreman of suction hose, Wayland Peck, brakemaster, C. W. Morse, and W. Cram, stewards. There was great rivalry between these two companies, and a grand trial was arranged. The contest was a great affair for those days, and was witnessed by a large crowd. The Tigers won, making the quickest time, and throwing the longest and highest streams. The fire department in those days was a great institution, and was called upon to do escort duty on many occasions. as well as to extinguish fires.
In 1868, a steam fire engine was purchased for the Lower Village. In the spring of 1871, a committee was appointed to obtain an engine for the Upper Village. The committee consisted of Lyman W. Hapgood, Nathaniel Richardson, A. G. Stratton, Laban Morse, E. T. Lewis, F. G. Lord and D. W. Houghton. At a town meeting held May 4, 1871. a verbal report was presented by L. W. Hapgood, chairman of the committee, the substance of the report being that the committee were divided in opinion between the Amoskeag engine made at Manchester, N. H., and the Jucket made at Fitchburg, as to which should ยท be purchased by the town. The members of the commit- tee of the Upper Village were in favor of the Jucket, and those of the Lower Village favored the Amoskeag; and now occurred that memorable controversy between the
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citizens of the two villages that agitated the whole town, from the children to the gray-haired old citizens and staid matrons. At one of the town meetings it was voted to purchase the engine made in Fitchburg, and then the con- test waxed hot, several town meetings were called and at- tempts made to rescind the vote. The two factions of the committee each purchased an engine, one the Amoskeag the other the Jucket, and the greatest efforts were made by both parties to get their machines to town first. The Jucket, or Fitchburg machine, arrived first, was met at the depot by a band of music, and amid the most intense ex- citement was escorted by the victorious citizens of the Upper Village to their engine house. It did service until the spring of 1893, when a new engine was purchased. The Amoskeag steamer, which arrived soon after the other, was after a short time sold to the town of Orange.
A new era of the fire department commenced in 1877, on the completion of the Athol Water Works, when the town made a contract with the Athol Water Co. for fifty hydrants. The apparatus at that time consisted of two steamers, two hand engines, four hose carriages, and one hook and ladder carriage, and the water supply was ob- tained from fifty hydrants and three reservoirs. The board of engineers at that time consisted of L. B. Morse, chief engineer, and J. M. King, O. A. Fay and H. H. Haskins, assistants.
In 1893, an elegant brick engine house was erected on Exchange street, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars, and in 1896, one was built at the Highlands, on the corner of Main and Pleasant streets, costing about twelve thousand
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dollars. In 1894, an electric fire alarm system was es- tablished at a cost of three thousand dollars.
The engineers of the department for 1896, were Fred A. Haskins, chief engineer, and Chas F. Smith and James McManamy, district chiefs.
Fred A. Haskins. Chief Engineer of the Fire Depart- ment, was born in Hardwick, in 1855. At the age of five years his parents moved to the southwest part of New Braintree, where his father carried on a large farm. He remained at home on the farm until fifteen years of age, when he went into the railroad business, serving in various capacities as fireman, brakeman, etc., on the Bos- ton & Albany. Ware River, and New London Northern railroads After being engaged in this business for up- wards of five years, he learned the carpenter's trade, and came to Athol in June. 1876, where he has been engaged ever since as a builder and contractor, having had charge of the erection of some of the large buildings of the town, among which are the shoe shops of C. M. Lee, the Com- mercial House, Ellsworth's Opera House, the Green Mountain shoe shop, the new Engine House, in the Lower Village and many others. In September, 1881, he married Miss Kate Finn of Athol. Mr. Haskins has been in the fire department five years, four years of which time he has been one of the engineers, and for the last three years has been the chief engineer of the department. He was one of the constables of the town two years.
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