USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Dictionary of Worcester (Massachusetts) and its vicinity, 1893 > Part 11
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C. W. Burbank has done much work upon some of the later maps of Worcester.
Maritime Provinces Association was or-
Markets .- The markets of Worcester are not as good as they should be in a city of its size and pretensions. In smaller places in the eastern part of the state, provisions of much better quality and more variety can be found than are generally kept here, for the residents, if not satisfied, can resort to the Boston mar- kets; but Worcester is too far away to fear competition in the metropolis, except, perhaps, in fruit, which is purchased largely by those who go to Boston.
Market (Public) .- In 1868 a free public market was established on the north side of the City Hall, on Front street, the sidewalks being roofed in for the purpose. It was opened August 29. It was intended for the benefit of country producers, and consequent- ly the city shop keepers did not regard the
wagons, with meat and produce from their private markets, to compete with and crowd out the others. Not proving a success, the market was discontinued after a year or so, and the roof over the sidewalk, which had much darkened the windows of the police station in the basement of the City Hall, was
Market (Wood and Hay) .- Formerly the wood and hay market was on Main street, front of the Old South Church, but was after- wards established in Salem square.
Marriage Licenses. - Marriage licenses are issued by the City Clerk, and a fee of fifty cents is charged. Copies can be obtained for twenty-five cents after the certificate is re- turned by the clergyman or person qualified to
cant for a license is advised to put on a bold face and at once make known his errand to
Drew, Allis & Co., publishers of the Direct- the young lady assistant, to whom he is sure
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to be referred if he applies to the City Clerk, Barnard, Thomas Gray, Deacon Benjamin for the latter rarely fills out the blanks. If Phelps and Jonathan Wentworth. In 1823 the candidate for matrimonial honors feels Worcester Chapter of Royal Arch Masons was himself too bashful to undergo the ordeal, he organized, with Benjamin Chapin as High will be furnished with a form which he can fill Priest. Isaiah Thomas, James Wilson, Jona- out himself. The full names of the contract- than Going, Otis Corbett and Ephraim ing parties, color, age, place of residence, Mower were others prominent in the forma- occupation, number of the marriage, place of tion. In 1825 the Worcester County Com- birth, and father's and mother's names of each are required. As some of the news- papers publish intentions of marriage daily, it will be well for those who do not desire pub- licity beforehand not to procure the license
mandery of Knights Templars was organized in Holden, with James Estabrook as Com- mander; and Hiram Council, Royal and Select Masters, was chartered in Sutton in 1826. It is probable that all these bodies until the day the ceremony is to be performed. were inactive during the political agitation The Clerk's office is open from 9 to 1 and 2 to 4.30.
against Masonry.
In 1826 a remarkable excitement arose over
Masonic Societies .- Isaiah Thomas was the fate of William Morgan of Batavia, New the prime mover in establishing Freemasonry York, who, it was claimed, was about to publish a book containing the secrets of the
in Worcester, and mainly through his efforts Morning Star Lodge was chartered on the Masonic Order. He disappeared suddenly, IIth of March, 1793, the charter members and his fate has never been satisfactorily ex- being Nathaniel Paine, Nathaniel Chandler, plained.
The opponents of Freemasonry John Stanton, Ephraim Mower, Clark Chand- declared that he had been murdered, and a ler, Benjamin Andrews, Joseph Torrey, Sam- strong feeling against the institution spread uel Chandler, Charles Chandler, John White, over the land, and nearly caused the exter- Samuel Brazer, John Stowers and Samuel mination of the Order. The Anti-Masonic Flagg. Isaiah Thomas was the first Master. party was formed, and cast 33,000 votes in This lodge was consecrated on the 11th of 1828, 70,000 in 1829, and 128,000 in 1830.
William Wirt was nominated for president as the candidate of the party in 1832, but carried only one state, Vermont. The feeling against Masons was probably as strong in this vicinity as elsewhere, New York State except- ed, and several prominent citizens were held its meetings in early times at Mower's forward in the movement. Pliny Merrick Tavern, where the Walker Building stands, publicly renounced Masonry, and Rev. George and at the United States Arms, now the Ex- Allen, then of Shrewsbury, contributed two change Hotel; later a hall was built by powerful pamphlets to the cause of Anti- Jedediah Healy, in the rear of where the Masonry. Mr. Allen had lived in the vicinity Burnside Building is now located, which was of Batavia, and knew Morgan and several of
June, 1793, by Most Worshipful Grand Mas- ter John Cutler and officers of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. A procession marched from Masons' Hall to the North Meeting House, where a sermon was preached by the Rev. Aaron Bancroft. The lodge occupied for many years for Masonic purposes. Morning Star Lodge continued to be an active
the parties implicated in the tragedy. He actively aided the efforts of John Quincy
organization until the great Anti-Masonic agi- Adams, Samuel Lathrop and others in this tation of 1828 to 1835, when it ceased to be State, but opposed Masonry and all secret societies on principle and not for political ends.
active, in common with many of the lodges throughout the country. William S. Barton, Esq., City Treasurer, has kindly favored the DICTIONARY with a list of the names of mem- bers of Morning Star Lodge in 1824: Horatio Gates Henshaw, Lemuel (or Samuel) Wor-
John Quincy Adams attributed to Isaiah Thomas, whom he terms the "arch-devil of Masonry," a great influence in the propaga- tion of the Order in this country. He says cester, Capt. Reuben Monroe, Israel Whitney, (Diary, Sept. 26, 1833, ) that the power ac- Harding Slocomb, Oliver White, Oliver Eager, quired by the institution " might be traced to Joel Gleason, Varnum Brigham, John A. Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester, and through Lazell, James Williams, Isaac Tucker, Ben- him to Benjamin Russell, many years publish- jamin Chapin, Simeon Duncan, Capt. John er of the Boston Centinel. They were printers
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and made fortunes, Thomas a very large one, the deficiency. These are of comparatively by their types. They made Freemasons of all recent origin. The Masonic Mutual Relief their apprentices and journeymen." The Association of Central Massachusetts was es- Anti-Masonic agitation had something of the tablished in 1873, and has some 2300 mem- character of a frenzy, and died out as sudden- bers. The DICTIONARY is indebted to Messrs. ly as it began; though to-day there is an William A. Smith and Daniel Seagrave for suggestions and corrections embodied in the above article. organization of recent origin with nominally the same objects as the one formed in 1827.
Morning Star Lodge was resuscitated in 1842, with Horace Chenery, W. M .; Henry Earl, S. W .; Asa Walker, J. W., and Pliny Holbrook, Secretary. Meetings were at that time held in Dr. Green's building on Main street, opposite Central street. Masonry has continued to flourish to the present time, and this lodge has now about 300 members. The Worcester County Commandery of Knights Templars removed to Worcester in 1845, and Hiram Council, R. & S. M., was located here in 1858. The former has 450 members,
Massachusetts Record Society. - An association of several gentlemen resident in different parts of the State, formed in 1891 for the purpose of encouraging the preservation and publication of old records. Franklin P. Rice is the local representative.
Mastodon Discovery .- On the 17th of November, 1884, the quidnuncs of Worcester were much excited by the announcement that the remains of a great beast had been discov- ered in a peat meadow in Northborough, just and the latter over 500. On the 9th of June, over the Shrewsbury line, and several mem- 1859, Montacute Lodge was instituted, with bers of the Natural History and Antiquity
William A. Smith, Master. Of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Worcester Lodge societies were early on the ground. Work- men, in digging a trench, had unearthed of Perfection was established in 1863, and several large teeth and other remains, and has at present 250 members of the 4° to 14º. these were identified as belonging to the Mas- Of this Rite Goddard Council, Princes of todon americanus. This was the first authen- Jerusalem, 15° to 16°, and Lawrence Chap- tic discovery of remains of the true mastodon ter of Rose Croix, 17º to 18°, were instituted in New England. The teeth are now in the in 1870. They have each about 175 members. museum of the Natural History Society-the Athelstan Lodge, F. & A. M., was formed in gift of Stephen Salisbury, Esq.,-and are fine 1866 and Quinsigamond Lodge in 1871. specimens. The following year an attempt was made to recover the whole skeleton, but Eureka Chapter, R. A. M., was formed in 1870. Stella Chapter, No. 3, Order of the it was too much decayed. The search, how- Eastern Star, was organized in 1871, and ever, was rewarded by the discovery of a now has about 300 members. This Order human skull imbedded in the peat, and bear- admits the wives and female relatives of Ma- ing all the symptoms of intense antiquity. It was stated that a microscopic examination re- the peat had thoroughly penetrated into all the minute interstices of the skull between the nounced that the owner of the head-piece was
sons, but is entirely separate and distinct from the Masonic Order proper. The late Thomas vealed the fact that the vegetable fiibrille of M. Lamb was prominently connected with the Order of the Eastern Star, and Daniel Sea- grave is the present Grand Secretary of the plates; and from other evidences it was an- Grand Chapter.
The different Masonic bodies (with the ex- unquestionably pre-Columbian, if not sooner, ception of the Order of the Eastern Star, and that he had probably perished in an encounter with the mastodon ! Notwithstand- which meets at Odd Fellows' Hall, Pleasant street, ) hold their meetings in Masonic Hall ing all this and other corroborating circum- on Pearl street, which is under the control of stances, which for a time made Worcester the the Masonic Board of Directors, formed in cynosure of scientific eyes, Prof. F. W. Put- nam, of Cambridge, after a careful, thorough and exhaustive examination, declared in his
1867. The Masonic Order may be defined as a secret fraternal and charitable association. The mutual benefit or insurance feature, com- report that the skull had not been long in the mon with most of the secret societies, is not peat ! An account of the mastodon discovery assumed by Freemasons in general, but the was published in pamphlet form by the com- Masonic Mutual Relief Associations supply piler of this DICTIONARY.
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It may not be generally known that the officers elected : President, William A. Wheel- famous Newburg mastodon of Dr. Warren of er; Vice-President, Ichabod Washburn; Sec- Boston, now in the Warren Museum, was retary, Albert Tolman; Treasurer, Elbridge exhibited in Worcester in 1846, and that Dr. G. Partridge. Others prominent in the move- Warren's agent purchased it here, and took it ment were Anthony Chase, Putman W. Taft, to Boston. It was from this fine skeleton that William Leggate, Henry W. Miller, William the doctor mainly obtained his measurements
M. Bickford, Levi A. Dowley, Rufus D. Dun- and facts for his elaborate monograph on the bar, John P. Kettell, James S. Woodworth, Mastodon giganteus, in quarto, with profuse Hiram Gorham, Joseph Pratt, Henry Gould- illustrations, a copy of which was, through
ing and Edward B. Rice. Efforts were at the efforts of the compiler of this DICTIONARY, once made to establish a library, and an an- presented to the Free Public Library of Wor- nual course of lectures was provided for. The cester by the family of Dr. Warren.
Mayors .- Following is a list of Mayors of Worcester from 1848, the time of its incorpo- ration as a city; the municipal year for the first three years began and ended in April :
Levi Lincoln, 1848-49. Citizen.
Henry Chapin, 1849-50. Free Soil.
Peter C. Bacon, 1851-52. Free Soil.
John S. C. Knowlton, 1853-54. Coalition. George W. Richardson, 1855, 1857. Know- Nothing.
Isaac Davis, 1856, 1858, 1861. Citizen. Alexander H. Bullock, 1859. Citizen.
William W. Rice, 1860. Republican. P. Emory Aldrich, 1862. Republican. D. Waldo Lincoln, 1863-64. Citizen. Phinehas Ball, 1865. Republican.
James B. Blake, 1866-67-68-69-70. Re- publican.
Edward Earle, 1871. Republican.
George F. Verry, 1872. Citizen.
Clark Jillson, 1873, 1875-76. Republican. Edward L. Davis, 1874. Citizen. Charles B. Pratt, 1877-78-79. Citizen. Frank H. Kelley, 1880-81. Citizen. Elijah B. Stoddard, 1882. Citizen.
Samuel E. Hildreth, 1883. Republican.
Charles G. Reed, 1884-1885. Citizen.
Samuel Winslow, 1886-87-88-89. Repub- lican.
Francis A. Harrington, 1890-91-92. Re- publican.
first lecture before the Association was deliv- ered February 21, 1842, by Elihu Burritt. Another matter contemplated was the holding of an annual fair or exhibition, but it was not until September, 1848, that the first one was held, and others followed in 1849, 1851, 1857 and 1866. The Association was incorporated March 9, 1850, with power to hold real estate to the amount of $75,000, and personal prop- erty to the amount of $25,000. Later these amounts were changed to $200,000 and $50,- 000 respectively. In 1854 Ichabod Washburn gave $10,000 towards the purchase of land and the erection of a hall, on condition that the society should raise a like sum, which was accomplished. The gift of Dea. Washburn was first invested in the lot of land in the rear of the Bay State House, now occupied by the Theatre. This lot was afterwards sold, and the money used in the purchase of the Main street land. The Association issued its bonds for $50,000, payable at different times, from five to ten years, and secured by a mortgage upon their property; $43,810 of these were taken and paid for by members of the society. The Waldo lot on Main street was purchased for $30,000, the corner stone of the building laid Sept. 3, 1855, and the edifice completed and dedicated March 19, 1857. (See next article.) The total cost was $140, 129.51. This sum was provided for as follows: Re- ceived from bonds, $49,960; donations, $28,320.38; first mortgage, $30,000; third mortgage, $25,000; total, $133,280.38. This, it will be seen, left a balance of $6,849.19 still unpaid in the form of a floating debt, and
Mechanics' Association (Worcester County. )-The Worcester Mechanics' Associ- ation was in being in 1826, but probably did not long exist. The first action taken towards a real debt of $104,960. The general finan- the formation of the present organization was cial troubles of 1857 followed, and the at a meeting held in November, 1841, in the Association found itself unable to meet its Town Hall, when a committee was chosen to consider the subject of forming a Mechanics'
obligations. The holders of the third mort- gage took legal possession of the property. In Association. The first formal meeting was 1858 an effort was made to reduce the debt to held February 5, 1842, and the following $50,000, and to do this required the canceling
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of $54,960. Hon. Stephen Salisbury gave eclectic, a modification of the early Thomp- $7000, on the condition that the debt was sonian system. He instituted a medical school reduced to $50,000; Ichabod Washburn made here previous to the opening of the college, another gift of $10,000; and the holders of with lectures given in Waldo Block. The the bonds accepted forty per cent. of their college building was erected on the summit of Union Hill, John F. Pond, a large real estate value in cash. The holders of the third mortgage of $25,000, and of notes of $6,849, operator in that region, giving the land. This discharged their claims for $15,000. This was a voluntary and friendly arrangement made by the friends of the Association to save its property, though it bore hard upon some who gave more than they could afford. The debt of $50,000 left by this compromise was gradually reduced, and was extinguished January 1,_1892.
The annual courses of lectures have been kept up from the first, and the library now contains 10,670 volumes. A reading room for the use of members is maintained, with daily and other papers, and the principal periodicals. In 1864 some 200 citizens of Worcester contributed $9000 to purchase the fine organ in the hall. In 1864 an Appren- tices' Drawing School was established, and a Summer School for boys at the Polytechnic Institute was opened in 1887.
Mechanics' Hall .- The largest and finest public hall in the city, located in the building erected by the Mechanics' Association at 32I Main street. The hall is generally used for ·lectures, entertainments, concerts, etc., and has a seating capacity of 1926. The yearly festivals of the Worcester County Musical Association are held here, and in the past many political conventions have met in the hall. The walls are adorned with many fine portraits (see portraits ), and the great organ in front of the audience gives a good effect to the interior. On the floor below the main hall are Washburn Hall, and the Reading- Room, Library and offices of the Association. The ground floor is occupied for stores. The façade of the building, of classic cast, is noble and imposing, and is best viewed in coming down Walnut street. Elbridge Boyden was the architect. See previous article.
Mechanics' Exchange. - See Builders' Exchange.
Medical College .- The Worcester Medi- cal Institution was incorporated in 1849, and went into operation the following year. Its founder, Dr. Calvin Newton, was for some years previous a practitioner in Worcester in that school of medicine called the botanic or
building is now one of the structures on the Worcester Academy grounds. After the med- ical college failed, a female college was estab- lished here, and later the property was used by the Government as a military hospital (see Dale Hospital ; Worcester Academy ). The Medical College prospered for a time, and quite a number of eclectic physicians were graduated; but after the death of Dr. Newton, in 1853, its prosperity declined, and within a few years the institution ceased to exist.
Medical Examiner .- The functions and duties formerly belonging to coroners are now performed by "Medical Examiners." Dr. P. H. Keefe is the Medical Examiner for Wor- cester. His office is at 288 Main street.
Medical Libraries .- The library of the Worcester District Medical Society is deposit- ed in the Free Public Library building, occu- pying a room there rent free, the consideration being that the books may be used in the building by anyone entitled to the use of the Public Library. This library now con- tains 7,233 volumes, gathered since 1820. There is a fund of $7,500, the interest of which is applied for the purpose of increasing the number of books.
There is a Homoeopathic Medical Library at the rooms of the Homoeopathic Medical Soci- ety, Trumbull street. It comprises about 1,000 volumes.
Medical Societies .- The Medical Society of the County of Worcester was in existence as early as 1784, and notices of the meetings frequently appear in the Spy. The Worcester District Medical Society formed in 1804, aux- iliary to the Massachusetts Medical Society, is still active, and has a valuable library (see previous article). The Worcester Medical Association, formed in 1886, supplements the work of the District Society.
The Worcester County Homeopathic Medical Society was organized in 1886. Its library and dispensary are located on Trumbull street.
Memorial Hospital. - The Washburn Memorial Hospital was incorporated in April,
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1871, and was opened in June, 1888, at the Samuel Davis place on Belmont street, the 1867. premises having been purchased for the pur- pose. This hospital, which is for the treat- in the DICTIONARY. ment of women and children only, was
There are three missions : West Side, Abbott established through the beneficence of the late street, organized in 1891; Lake View, Anna Ichabod Washburn. About thirty patients can street, 1891; and the Mission Des Vrais be accommodated. The hospital is in charge Catholiques, at the Coral street church, or- of a superintendent, and there is a visiting ganized in 1889. staff of six physicians.
The Washburn Free Dispensary, formerly at II Trumbull street, is now located at the Memorial Hospital.
Merrick Square Social Club .- This club was organized in December, 1891, and is of a semi-political character. It occupies rooms at the corner of Pleasant and Sever streets.
Merrifield Buildings. - The three-story brick structure occupying the square between Union and Cypress streets and Exchange and North Foster streets, erected and owned by William T. Merrifield. These buildings are used entirely for mechanical purposes. This spot was the scene of the great fire of June, 1854 (see Fires), when the buildings that formerly stood there were totally destroyed, with much other property. The old structure was four stories in height.
Messinger Hill .- See Fairmount.
Bethel ( African), 302 Main street, formed
Some of these are noticed under their titles
Middle River .- The stream, formed by the united waters of Ramshorn, Lynde, Kettle, Beaver and Tatnuck brooks, which flows gen- erally east from New Worcester to Quinsiga- mond Village, where it joins Millbrook to form the Blackstone river. In the old records Middle river was called Half-way river.
Midnight Yacht Club .- In 1878 Stephen E. Green, David Boyden, T. H. Blood, Charles L. Hopson, Henry E. and Frank H. Estabrook, Alex. DeWitt and John Howell chartered the schooner Midnight, at Rock- land, for a two weeks' cruise along the Maine coast. This experience proved so enjoyable that it was repeated with some modifications for twelve or thirteen years, others participat- ing, and the company changing until over fifty persons had taken part in the excursions. Messrs. Green and Boyden were, however, the only ones of the original number who for twelve consecutive years were constant in from $20 to $40 each. In 1879 the company camped at Deer Island. The Midnight was used the first year, and different vessels later, the Maggie for several years. The Club is
Messenger (The) .- Established in Jan- attendance. The expense of these trips was uary, 1887, by James J. Doyle, as an eight- page monthly; enlarged January, 1888, to a six-column weekly. Published at 154 Front street. Represents the Catholic interests of the Diocese of Springfield, covering the cen- now a thing of the past. tral and western portions of Massachusetts.
Military History. - During the Indian Methodist Churches. - There are nine troubles of 1722, Worcester furnished five men Methodist Episcopal churches in Worcester, to the company of scouts under Major John including two African. The list is as follows : Trinity, 650 Main street, formed 1834. Chandler. In 1723 seven of the inhabitants enlisted as soldiers and served during the Laurel Street, Laurel Hill, formed 1845. winter. Webster Square, New Worcester, formed 1860. August 3, 1724, Uriah Ward of Worcester, in service at Rutland, was killed by the Indians. The town contributed liber- Grace Free Church, Walnut street, forined 1867. ally to the defense of the province during the wars with the French, and expended its Coral Street, Coral street, formed 1872. means freely for the reduction of the fortresses First Swedish, Quinsigamond Village, of Nova Scotia and Canada. Benjamin Glea- formed 1879. son of Worcester died before the walls of Second Swedish, 59 Thomas street, formed 1885. Louisburg in 1745, and Adonijah Rice, the Zion (African), 86 Exchange street, formed 1846. first-born of our native citizens, was in a com- pany of rangers in the siege. In 1746 Fort Massachusetts at Williamstown was defended
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by a garrison partly of Worcester men. In were found on both sides. In 1807, when it 1748, a company of fifty-three, all from this was apprehended that hostilities with England town, followed the Indians for seventeen days, would immediately ensue, the Worcester Light but returned without engaging in battle. Seventeen Worcester men were in service in Nova Scotia, and seventeen more at Fort Cumberland. John Walker was commissioned
Infantry tendered their services in defense of the country. Adam Walker, a son of John Walker of Worcester, enlisted in the regular army, was in the battle of Tippecanoe, and service he was with Hull's army at Detroit, included in the surrender and sent to Halifax.
a captain. Adonijah Rice and another were was struck by bullets several times. In later
in the expedition against Crown Point in August. In September there were fourteen volunteers from Worcester. Many were in After his exchange he wrote a book reflecting the ranks of the army that acted against severely on Gen. Hull. This volume is rare and commands a large price. Copies are in the libraries of the American Antiquarian Society and The Worcester Society of Antiq- uity. The war of 1812 was not popular in this vicinity, and not a large number of Wor- cester men were in service. Sabin Mann, oldest son of Joseph Mann of Worcester, was killed at Queenstown in 1812. The Light Infantry and the Artillery Company marched to the defense of the coast on the threatened British attack in September, 1814, and re- mained in camp near Boston several weeks. In this war Massachusetts furnished 31 10 men. Thomas Gardner Mower, Surgeon General of the United States Army at a later period, was a native of Worcester. Crown Point in 1756; and in the two succeed- ing years several were captured, and a number died of wounds or disease at Lake George. After the surrender of Fort William Henry the whole militia of the town marched to Sheffield, 105 miles distant, but the enemy having retired, the forces were disbanded. A company of Worcester men, under Capt. Samuel Clark Paine, was with Gen. Amherst in 1758, and continued in service till the peace of 1763. - Worcester furnished to the provincial service during the French wars I colonel, I lieut .- colonel, 2 majors, 6 captains, 8 lieutenants, 7 ensigns, 27 sergeants, 2 sur- geons, I chaplain and I adjutant. From 1748 to 1762 there were 453 men from the town, not including those who enlisted in the regu- The Mexican war did not find much favor
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