USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Millbury > Centennial history of the town of Millbury, Massachusetts, including vital statistics, 1850-1899 > Part 16
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in the churches and from the factories the whistles were sounded at intervals.
At seven in the morning, athletic sports were held on the common and an exhibition in fancy bicycle riding was given by Mr. William W. Windle.
At nine o'clock, a Trades and Historic Parade started from Burbank Square and marched through West Main, Elm, Canal, Providence, Maple, and South Main Streets to Central Square, thence through North Main, West, and Water Streets to the High School grounds. Thomas H. Sullivan, Esq., was marshal, who was assisted by Harry M. Goddard, assistant marshal, and the following aids: Frank Horne, William H. Brown, Hervey C. Pierce, Oscar H. Stowe, Joseph Jacques, Joseph Beasley, Charles H. Burbank, Albert F. Despard, Arthur Bellville, Arthur Bourbeau, Joseph Bois, S. Edgar Benjamin, Leo Paradis, Richard W. Proctor, Arthur H. Sullivan, Harry W. Thom- son, Harry Horne, William D. Horne.
The parade was in three divisions and prizes were awarded in each, a silver loving cup being given for first prizes and gold medals for second. In the division of marching organizations, Court Millbury Foresters of America won the first prize and St. Jean Baptiste Society won the second. In the division composed of Society and Lodge floats, the float of the Woman's Relief Corps was awarded the first prize and that of the Millbury Grange the second. In the division composed of the floats of manufacturers, the float of the Cordis Mill won first prize and that of the Mayo Woolen Co. the second. In the merchants' division, the L. S. Waters Market float won the first prize and the Thibeault Bakery the second. In this parade the Salem Cadet Band, the Worcester Brass Band, and the Millbury Cadet Band marched and furnished music.
During the early part of Wednesday afternoon, many citizens who owned automobiles offered them to any who wished to go to places of interest about the town, especially
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to the historic spots marked by the committee appointed to designate these and many availed themselves of the opportunity thus presented. At the same time the special guests of the day were escorted about the town. No procession was formed but single automobile parties were driven over interesting routes.
At two o'clock Wednesday afternoon, athletic sports were held at Riverside Park, with a concert by the Wor- cester Brass Band.
At half-past three o'clock, a band concert was given in Central square by the Salem Cadet Band. This was the beginning of the climax of the entire celebration, for at the close of this concert the honored guests were gathered on a specially built platform in front of Town Hall and addresses were made by Col. Samuel E. Winslow, con- gressman from the district, by Governor Pothier of Rhode Island, and by ex-President William H. Taft.
Soon after the conclusion of the afternoon exercises, the Centennial Banquet was held in the Town Hall at which Henry W. Aiken, Esq., was toastmaster. After dinner addresses were given by ex-President Taft, by Colonel Winslow, by Governor Pothier of Rhode Island, and by Mayor George M. Wright of Worcester.
After the banquet the company went to Riverside Park where the concluding exercises of all, the fireworks, were held. The Salem Cadet Band gave a concert during the early evening and at nine o'clock the pyrotechnic display began. Brilliant set-pieces were ablaze with light. Rockets pierced the air and colored lights illuminated the scene. Several persons who had travelled widely pro- nounced the fire-works to be the best that they had ever seen and none present was able to recall any other display that had been equal to this one in brilliancy and general effectiveness. It seemed as if the best and most brilliant pieces for pyrotechnic display that could be procured were set off in a dazzling sequence and the many thousands present were thrilled with amazement and awe as they
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saw the succession of thrilling spectacular productions. The climax came when the seal of the town was made to appear in a large set-piece and it was saluted by bombs of unusually sharp noise accompanied by bursting lights of dazzling brightness.
From the beginning of the celebration on Sunday fore- noon, with services in the churches, until its close on Wednesday evening, the streets of the town were thronged with people. The numbers grew in volume until the closing evening when there were fully thirty thousand in attendance. From the very first the crowds were orderly and appreciative of the superior attractions which the Centennial presented and the serious, wholesome spirit in which all was given. There was an utter absence of roughness and rowdyism. In fact, there was not even any undue excitement or noisy demonstration. On every hand were heard words of unstinted praise for the com- mittee having the celebration in charge, for the balance and wide distribution of the attractions, and for the effi- cient and effective work of the sub-committees. Among the townspeople each seemed to vie with the other in helping to create an atmosphere that revealed an excellent spirit in the people of Millbury.
HISTORIC SPOTS (See Map.)
1. Home of Capt. Samuel Trask, date 1743. He was a minute- man. (At West Millbury.)
2. Home of Orson Hall. (At West Millbury.) He was proprietor of the St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans, which was taken for Butler's Headquarters in the Civil War.
3. Site of Union or West Congregational Church, 1837. (At West Millbury.)
4. Tainter Homestead, home of Joel Tainter, a minute-man. (At West Millbury.)
5. Old House of Solomon Dwinnell. (On road from Old Common to West Millbury.)
6. Site of first two schoolhouses. (At West Millbury.)
7. Home of Aaron Pierce, first Town Clerk. (At the late town farm.)
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8. House of Col. Jonathan Holman, date 1812. A Revolution- ary Colonel. (West Millbury.)
9. Site of Stephen Blanchard house, built 1812. (At West Millbury.)
10 Tack factory of Stephen Blanchard, where his brother Thomas, the inventor, made tacks by hand. (At West Millbury.)
11. Home of Samuel Blanchard, father of Thomas, the inventor. (At West Millbury.)
12. Abijah Gleason house, where the Baptist Church of Millbury was organized in 1835. (At West Millbury).
13. Home of Capt. Andrew Elliot. He was in the Revolution. (At Wm. J. Gilson's, next place beyond old town farm.)
14. Squire Simeon Waters home (near Hoyle's mill, West Millbury.)
15. Site of home of Thomas Blanchard. (At West Millbury.)
16. Site of Thomas Blanchard's shop, home of his Eccentric Lathe. (At West Millbury.)
17. Old home of Elijah Marble. (At West Millbury.)
18. Old home of Amos Eddy. (At West Millbury.)
19. Site of Amos Eddy's Triphammer Works and Scythe Shop. (At West Millbury.)
20. Site of saw-mill of Solomon Holman. Privilege deeded from Nathaniel Waters, 1744. This place was later the Tannery of Capt. Joseph Griggs. (At West Millbury.)
21. Old home of Capt. Amasa Wood. (At West Millbury.)
22. Old shoe manufactory of Capt. Amasa Wood. (At West Millbury.)
23. Site of the birth-place of Asa Waters, 1st, Elijah and many others of that family. (At West Millbury).
24. Site of old home of John Singletary, where the first white child was born in Millbury. (At the outlet of Singletary lake.)
25. Site of scythe-works of Noah Crossman at John Rich's mill. (At West Millbury.)
26. Meeting place of early Catholics in town, then a Mission. (Near Mayo mill, No 2.)
27. Site of Harvey Waters' machine shop, inventor of a pin- machine. £ Later an expert on patents. (At West End Thread works.)
THE SAMUEL D. TORREY MANSION
٠
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28. Old home of the Sibleys, and Deacons Tyrus and David T. March. Ancient tree nearby. (Beach Street, Braman- ville.)
29. First Congregational Church. Second Church built in town, removed from Old Common, 1835. (At Bramanville.)
30. Home of Capt. Abijah Burbank, a soldier of the Revolution, whose paper mill was built in 1776. (At High Street, Bramanville.)
31. Site of Burbank's paper mill, 1776. (Burbank Square, Bramanville.)
32. Old house built by Gen. Caleb Burbank. (On Burbank Hill.)
33. House of Dana A. Braman. (Now St. Charles Hotel, Bramanville.)
34 Old hotel of Elias Lovell. (Now Wm. E. Horne's store, Burbank Square.)
35. Site of Revolutionary powder mill of Asa Waters, 1st. (Rear of A. S. Winter's stone, Bramanville.)
36. Site of Deacon John Leland's machine shop; also site of Walling mill. (Bramanville.)
37 Site of Asa Waters' Armory, built in the Revolution. (At E. F. Rice & Co.'s mill, Bramanville.)
38. Site of Dr. Amasa Braman's distillery. (On road to Old Common from Elmwood Street.)
39. Dr. Amasa Braman house. (Old Common.)
40. House built by Rev. James Wellman, first pastor of North Parish. (Old Common.)
41. Old Common, site of the first and second churches in town and the early training ground.
42. Old house, occupied by Rev. Joseph Goffe. (Old Common.)
43. Old Stage Tavern, known as "Bucks." (Near Old Common on road to South, now discontinued.)
44. Site of earliest schoolhouse. (Old Common.)
45. Home of Elder Samuel Waters. (Elmwood Street.)
46. Site of Second Armory, built in 1808. (South Main Street.)
47. Location of works of Armsby & Morse, later C. D. Morse & Co., and Stillwater mill. (West Street.)
48. Site of mill of Benj. Gowing. (South Main Street.)
49. Site of Millbury Academy and High School. (Near Provi- dence Depot.)
50. Torrey homestead, built 1835. (At the Centre.)
.
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51. Rufus Stockwell House. (Corner Martin Street.)
52. Dr. Charles Jewett house, a station on the Underground R. R. for slaves. (Occupied by Mr. Ralph Nutting.)
53. Greenwood House, home of a Revolutionary soldier. (At Greenwood Crossing, P. &. W. R. R.)
54. Site of the mill of Michael Coogan, H. H. Chamberlain & Co., and Wm. H. Harrington & Co., Worcester Road. (Old power station.)
55 The Lower Tavern, Tourtellotte House, etc. (Grafton Road.)
56. Site of old Providence Depot. (South Main Street.)
57. Site of Old Farnsworth Tavern. (Town House.)
58. Site of John Singletary's grist mill. (Mayo mill, No. 2.)
59. Wait house. Home of Revolutionary soldiers. (Road to Bucks Village.) Here is an ancient tree and horse block.
60. Callahan schoolhouse. Undoubtedly the oldest school building in town. (Providence Street.)
61. County bridge schoolhouse. Early schoolhouse. (Near County bridge cemetery.)
62. Site of Capt. Simpson's mill. (Consolidated Power station.)
63. Joshua Chase house. (Daniels' house on Providence Street.)
64. Asa Waters (the second) mansion, 1826-29. (Cor. School and Elm Streets.)
65. Site of Goodell broadcloth factory. (Cordis mills.)
66. County bridge cemetery. One of the oldest burying places in town. (Providence Street.)
67. Dwinnel cemetery, contains oldest inscription. Reached from Greenwood house to Auburn Road or from Old Com- mon to Auburn Road.
68. West Millbury cemetery. (In the various cemeteries in town it is known that there are graves of fifty Revolutionary soldiers.)
69. American Temperance house. Tavern in 1843. (H. W. Sweetser house, Elm Street.)
70. Asa Andrew's house. Removed from present bank site. (Near Baptist Church.)
71. £
Site of home of March family. Later the home of Squire Miles. (Walling house, North Main and Canal Streets.)
72. March house. Birthplace of Dr. Daniel March. (North Grafton Road.)
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73. Old Millbury Bank. Scene of the robbery in 1843.
74. Site of the Farnsworth Tavern. (Site of the present Town House.)
75. Boyhood home of Bishop Willard F. Mallalieu. (West Main Street.)
76. Site of brass foundry of Asa Kenney. (West Millbury.)
77. Old bridle path. (Near Singletary Lake.)
78. Tyler Waters' house. Here was B. T. Albro's printing office. (Elmwood Street.)
79. House of Deacon John Leland. (High Street, Bramanville.)
80. Doctor Leonard Spaulding house. (Near First Congrega- tional Church.)
81. Site of home of Deacon Elijah Waters of Armory fame. (Home of F. H. Rice.)
82. Residence of some of the Goodell family, among whom was Capt. Samuel Goodell. (Grafton Street.)
83. Site of an early schoolhouse of the town, on Grafton Street.
84. Where M. D. Garfield established his shuttle eye works. (On road from Old Common to Quinsigamond.)
85. Place where the Blackstone canal crossed N. Main at Sum- mer Street.
86. Old warehouse of the Blackstone canal. (Rear of Cordis Mills.)
87. Lock of Blackstone canal. (Near Wait house.)
88. Lock of Blackstone canal. (Near Wait house.)
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CHAPTER XVI
INDUSTRIES ON SINGLETARY STREAM
Within the present bounds of the town of Millbury the first industry to be established was a grist-mill, which was evidently located on Singletary stream within fifty feet of the edge of the pond. The stream was soon after- ward called Mill brook and it left the pond at a point about seventy-five yards to the southeast (in the direction of Sutton) from the present outlet. The pond at that time was several feet higher than it is, ordinarily, at present, for there were no mills on the stream to draw down its level.
The first right to establish an industry within the present bounds of Millbury was given by the proprietors of Sutton to Ebenezer Daggett and was worded as follows:
"Ebenezer Daggett has the mile (mill) lot with ye priviledge of the stream to the lower falls upon condition that the sd Dagget or his heirs keep a grist mile for the use of ye town and if the sd Dagget neglect or refused to keep a mill for the use of ye town he shall return the Stream to the town again."
In the Sutton Proprietors' records, dated Nov. 23, 1717, there is a more detailed description of this mill lot. The land was distributed by the proprietors among themselves in one hundred acre lots, each proprietor being entitled altogether to a propriety of five hundred acres.
A record, or return of this "mill lot" was as follows:
"the Northwest corner being a white oak tree on the west side of the mill brook, it being the Northwest corner thence running East, 30 degrees North, 85 rods to a heap of stones, being the north- west corner (northeast), thence running south 21 degrees East 184 rods to land already laid out, a white oak tree marked near the south-east corner, thence running west 30 degrees south 68 rods
ENOT
WEST END THREAD COMPANY
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to a whitewood tree being the corner of Siblie's lot thence running South 30 degrees east to a white oak tree marked being a corner, thence running west 30 degrees South to the pond, west partly on the pond part on undivided land to the Northwest corner, the whole containing 116 acres, 16 acres allowed for the mill way and bad land laid out by Mr. Thom. White, surveyor, and Draper and Mr. William King, committee."
In 1720, John Singletary, a cooper by trade, moved to Sutton from Framingham and purchased land around the outlet of Crooked Pond, securing eight acres of Caleb Bigsby, ten acres of Samuel Parker, two acres of William Larned, and, possibly, other small lots. Feb. 7, 1720, he purchased from Ebenezer Daggett the tract secured by Daggett from the Proprietors which included the mill privileges and obligations. As it was many years before the rights on this stream for some distance below the pond passed into other hands, the early development of the grist-mill has been associated with the name of Singletary, father and sons. The description of this property is of interest not only for what it says, but also for what it does not say .. . It reads, "together with one Gristmile & stream thereto belonging, And one Dwelling house standing and being on the Tract aforesaid." (See Suffolk Co. Deeds, Vol. 36, p. 114.) This informs us that the mill was built and was a "going concern" in 1720, having been erected while the property was in the possession of Mr. Daggett. It is also noteworthy that there is no mention of a dam and this is, apparently, for the reason that there was none to mention. Crooked Pond itself was, evidently, the mill pond for this first grist-mill and the water was conducted through a sluice- way about thirty feet to the mill wheel which, very likely, was an under-shot wheel placed in the sluiceway. We are further led to this conclusion by a provision which John Singletary put in a deed signifying the transfer of four acres, bordering on Crooked Pond, to John Moore in which he stipulated that he reserved "the priviledge of flowing such part as the said pond (Crooked Pond)
16
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shall flow." It is only an artificially raised pond, as Crooked Pond was raised to husband the water for his grist-mill, that needs to have legal reservations for over- flowing its usual limits.
The probable foundations of this first grist-mill may still be seen on the easterly side of the road which runs close beside the pond directly opposite the old outlet. Stones are in place which show the probable outlines and the sluiceway may be traced.
As the first provision of the proprietors of the mother town was for a grist-mill, the second need was for a saw- mill, for we presume that houses and other buildings were to be erected from the timber that was growing on the land which the settlers occupied. There was not much power derived from the first water wheel placed in the stream, as the fall of the water from the pond was not great. Accordingly, a dam was built running easterly and westerly between two prominent ledges, forming a pond which was used to furnish water for the second industry, a saw-mill, below the supposed site of the first grist-mill. This dam raised the stream so that a pond was formed that overflowed the location of the present road that runs from Sutton center along the shore of the pond and straight toward the corner by Mr. Warren A. Harris's home. This saw-mill pond, as it was called, was about six feet deep but it led the water to a place below which the land is much lower. The probable old foundations of the saw-mill were to the north of the sluice- way in the saw-mill dam and on a lower level, so that there could have been either an over-shot wheel or an under- shot wheel, for the lower level below the foundations give ample room for taking away the water from the wheel. This is the location known later as that of the Marble scythe shop.
We find in the proprietors' book (May 29, 1721), a men- tion of saw-mill pond, so that, probably, soon after he purchased the stream rights, the grist-mill, and land there-
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about, John Singletary erected the dam and the saw-mill. This saw-mill pond immediately became a landmark by which the road and meadows in that section of the town were located in descriptions of them. In 1735, this pond, dam, and saw-mill went into the possession of Richard Singletary, a son of John, and he kept it through his life- time for, in the will by which he conveys half of his prop- erty to his son-in-law to recompense him for taking care of himself and his wife, mention is made of the mill, and a provision that half the revenue derived from it be given to Mr. Singletary:
In the deeds by which this property is transferred to the sons of John Singletary we find evidence that at the time there was no mill below the saw-mill, for in the deed to Richard Singletary he stated:
"Excepting and reserving . . . a priviledge of maintaining a dam where it now stands for a priviledge to my other sons and also a liberty of flowing and also a convenience of passing and re- passing with carts and Teemes with Gravel and Stones and Other materials for buildings and maintaining Sd Damm with a conven- ient way to & from sd damm to draw the gate as occasion shall serve."
This deed was given July 9, 1735, twenty-one years after John Singletary had purchased the grist-mill and stream rights, as far as "the lower falls, " from Ebenezer Daggett. By this time the saw-mill had surpassed the grist-mill in importance, for the power derived immediately at the outlet of the pond was not adequate for all purposes, and plans were in his mind to build another grist-mill farther down the stream at a place which furnished greater water power. Provision for this lower privilege is made, in the reservation just mentioned, by which he could "draw the gate as occasion shall serve."
In a deed given to his other son, Joseph Singletary, on the same day, conveying a tract of land bordering on the stream and just below the site of the saw-mill, he reserved the "priviledge of flowing so much of said land as shall
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be necessary for raising a pond for a corn mill which may be hereafter built upon my other land adjoining said land."
The mill that was erected by John Singletary in 1735, or soon after, remained in his possession until Mar. 21, 1753, eighteen years later, when it passed into the posses- sion of Richard Singletary. Meanwhile, Richard Single- tary had purchased of others property adjoining the stream, so that he was in possession of all the mill privi- leges and the land adjoining on the Singletary Stream from the pond, down, over a quarter of a mile. He sold land, however, to the south of the saw-mill pond "reserving a right to improve that part of the premises flowed by the mill Dam for ye use of the mill" (saw-mill). This saw- mill pond is further verified from the location of the road which is used as a boundary of a plot of land which was sold when the mill was in operation. On one side it ran "south thirty-two degrees east on or by the Country road," starting "near sawmill pond."
That the first mills were on the old channel of the Single- tary and above the present location of Mayo Mill No. 2, where it has previously been supposed that they were located, is further established by reference to a deed given to Abraham Waters, June 14, 1779, by Reuben Barton who received the property from Richard Singletary. In this deed there was conveyed:
"the sole command of the water in the old Ditch so-called to maintain a floom there and to draw or stop the water at pleasure . . . further the said Abraham, his Heirs, or assigns, have here- by granted to them the right or priviledge of setting up any mill that he or they shall see cause on the old Saw Mill spot or any- where on said old Ditch he or they shall choose, &c."
Twenty-nine years after Richard Singletary had secured the grist-mill erected by his father, John Singletary, he sold the property to his younger brother Amos. This included "thirty acres be the same more or less with a dwelling house and Barn & Grist mill thereon standing." This is the first time that a Singletary has owned a water
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privilege and mill that had any intervening proprietor between him and the pond itself, so we find the following:
"Memorandom it is always to be remembered that ye sd Amos Singletary is to have ye Priviledge of Raising ye water up to a Certain mark made in a Rock upon the Right hand of ye Bridge on ye southerly side of the Premises."
It is this grist-mill that has been of such importance to the town for upon its door was displayed the warrant for the meeting which marked the separation of North Parish as a precinct. The building stood on the privilege known as the Wheeler, or Mayo Mill No. 2, location. It was later used as a saw-mill as well as a grist-mill, or there were two mills together, and men now living can remem- ber when they were kept in operation by the successors of the Singletarys.
Amos Singletary operated the mill from 1764, when it was purchased from his brother Richard, until 1777, when he sold it to Abraham Waters. In the meantime, he had erected another grist-mill on the premises, for in a deed the property is described as
"The Farm on which I now live being about 30 acres-con- taining 2 Dwelling Houses, two Grist mills, and a barn & is bounded and butted as followeth. &c."
In 1782, Abraham Waters sold the property to Judah Swift of New York State, and he, in 1790, sold it to Andrew Eliot. It remained in his hands until 1812, when it was sold at auction to Caleb Burbank.
Caleb Burbank, who had previously acquired from his father property which adjoined this mill site, also pur- chased the water rights to all the stream that flowed out of Singletary Lake. He built a dam along the shore of the pond near the outlet which enabled him to raise the water several feet higher than it had previously been possible for it to reach. At the same time he secured from several who owned property bordering on the pond the right to overflow their land by raising the water of the pond "to an Iron pin or bolt inserted in a large rock at
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the northwesterly end of the dam lately erected by said Burbank on the road leading from the North to the South Parish in said Sutton &c." It is from conditions unified by Burbank's complete control of the waters of Singletary stream that rights and privileges are held by manufac- turers on the stream today.
Another mill location that is above the Wheeler, or Mayo No. 2, privilege, though of much later origin, is the location on the present water course of the Harris saw-mill which stood near Singletary street just as the water emerges from under the knoll through which the under- ground water-course runs. This mill was built about 1850, by Henry W. Harris, who soon afterward was associated with Marius M. Hovey in its operation. No other industry has ever occupied this site. Foundation stones of the structure may readily be seen.
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