USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Dictionary of Worcester (Massachusetts) and its vicinity, 1893 > Part 8
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Holden .- A town originally set off from Worcester in 1740. It is seven miles distant
Home for Aged Men .- The Old Men's Home in the City of Worcester was incorpo- rated March 28, 1874, with the purpose to furnish aid to such respectable, aged and indi- gent men, who may be obliged by misfortune to solicit charity or assistance. In response to a public appeal, Albert Curtis, Esq., made a gift to the corporation of a fine estate situated at New Worcester, to be used as an asylum or home for unfortunate old men. The lack of sufficient funds prevented the directors from utilizing this property in the manner desired until recently. The Home at 49 Leicester street was opened in the fall of 1891, and later the name was changed to Home for Aged Men.
Home for Aged Women .- In his will Ichabod Washburn gave his home estate on Summer street, (subject to his wife's life interest ), and fifty thousand dollars to establish and maintain a "Home for aged females, widows, and those who have never been married, who from loss of friends or other misfortunes are reduced from a state of com- fortable and respectable competency to that of dependence upon charity." The "Home" was to be under the direction of a board of
Homeopathic Medical Society, (The Worcester County). - Formed in 1866.
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HOM-HOT
Holds quarterly meetings at the library room Stephen Salisbury, Geo. E. Francis, O. B. and dispensary, II Trumbull street.
Homæpathic Dispensary .- See Dispen- saries.
Hope Cemetery .- See Cemeteries.
Hopeville. - The locality between Cam- bridge street and Sutton lane, comprising Fremont street and Sutton road. It is within a short distance from Webster square at New Worcester.
Horse Cars .- See Street Railway.
Horseshoers' Union, (The), was organ- ized in 1887.
Horticultural Hall .- The auditorium in the building of the Worcester County Horti- cultural Society, much used for lectures, concerts, etc. There are seats for 650 in the main hall, and there is an upper hall, which can be connected by removing the partition. See next article.
Horticultural Society, ( Worcester County ) .- Formed in 1840 "for the purpose of advancing the science and encouraging and improving the practice of Horticulture." The first board of officers was constituted as fol- lows: President, Dr. John Green; Vice- Presidents, Dr. Samuel Woodward, Stephen Salisbury; Secretaries, Benjamin F. Heywood, L. L. Newton, J. C. B. Davis, William Lin- coln, Dr. Joseph Sargent; Trustees, Dr. John Park, Isaac Davis, E. F. Dixie, S. D. Spurr, Thomas Chamberlain, Nathaniel Stowell, A. D. Foster, Lewis Chapin, J. G. Kendall, Emory Washburn. The first exhibition was held Oct. 13 to 15, 1840, in the old brick building which stood on the site of the block erected by Sumner Pratt on Front street. The society was incorporated in 1842. In 1851 sufficient funds had been accumulated to war- rant the erection of the fine "Horticultural Hall" on Front street, near Main, the upper Hotels .- All the hotels of Worcester are on the American plan. The Bay State House, corner of Main and Exchange streets, stands tions of fruit, flowers and vegetables were at the head. The charges here are from $2.50 to $3.50 per day, with first-class ser- vice; single meals 75 cents. It has 130 rooms. Distance from the Union railroad station about & of a mile on the street rail- way line. The Waldo House, on Waldo street, has 100 rooms, and the charges here are $2 and $2.50 per day. The Common stories of which are now occupied for the purposes of the association. Annual exhibi- held for many years, but for, the last decade they have been held weekly during most of the year, and liberal premiums are offered. The society owns a fine library of some 2000 volumes on subjects pertaining to its specialty. Its hall is adorned with portraits of prominent deceased members. The present officers are : President, Henry L. Parker; Vice-Presidents, wealth, at 201 Front street, is another larg
Hadwen, Secretary, Edward Winslow Lin- coln.
Hospital, (The City) .- This institution was incorporated May 25, 1871, and was opened at the Abijah Bigelow house on the corner of Front and Church streets, Oct. 25, 1871. George Jaques soon after gave three and a half acres of land on Prince street (now Jaques avenue ) as a site for a hospital, and at his death left the remainder of his estate, in value nearly $200,000 as a fund for its sup- port. The Jaques homestead, at the corner of Wellington and Chandler streets, was occu- pied as a hospital from January, 1874, to December 8, 1881, when the present building on Jaques avenue was ready for use. At first there were only the main building and two wards, but in 1882 another ward was added, and later the Gill and Salisbury wards were built from funds given by Mrs. Sarah W. Gill and Stephen Salisbury, Esq. Mrs. Helen C. Knowles gave at her death $25,000 for the erection and maintenance of a lying-in ward, and this has been completed, and is known as the "Knowles Maternity." There are now seventy beds at the Hospital, and over 1,000 patients are treated yearly. A training school for nurses has been established at the hospital. The institution is under the direction of a board of seven trustees. Dr. Charles A. Peabody is the superintendent. The sum of $15,000 was appropriated by the City Gov- ernment for the support of the hospital for the present year (1892).
Hospital Cottages for Children, Bald- winville, Mass. - Worcester Local Ladies' Board meets monthly at 17 Burnside Building.
Hospitals. - See the previous articles : Memorial Hospital ; Insane Asylums ; Small- pox Hospital.
HOT-
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hotel opened January 1, 1892, with 106 the Sun Tavern. On the site Hon. Levi Lin- rooms, and a rate of $2.00 per day. The coln erected his fine dwelling house about Lincoln House, on Elm street, just off Main, 1812, which in 1835, when he built the pres- has 100 rooms, and the rate is $2.50 per day. ent Gov. Lincoln mansion on Elm street, The location is very pleasant, and it is a fav- became the Worcester House, and was kept orite house with many. Those who desire a by David T. Brigham, Lysander C. Clark, place near the railroad station, will readily find the United States Hotel, on Summer
and others until the large block was built in front, after which it was known as the Lincoln street. There are 40 rooms here, with a rate House (see title ). The old "Hancock Arms," of $2 per day. On Front street, at the corner on Lincoln street, also called Brown's Inn, was kept after the Revolution by Abner Child, Benj. Butman, Amos Smith, Simeon Duncan
of Trumbull, within easy distance of the station, is the New Waverly. Rate $2; with 70 rooms. The Exchange Hotel, opposite and others until it was closed sometime before it was burned, Dec. 24, 1824. The fire was incendiary, and Stephen Salisbury, the owner
Court hill on Main street, is much patronized by jurymen and those who have business in the courts. It has 54 rooms, and the rate is of the building at that time, offered a reward. $2. The Hotel Parker, on Walnut street, Nathan Patch established the present Ex- with 38 rooms, charges $1.50 and $2 per day. change Hotel in 1785. It was kept by Wil- liam Barker from 1790 to about 1800 or after. The City Hotel is located at the corner of Southbridge and Myrtle streets, near Franklin In 1807 Reuben Sikes purchased it, and it square. It has 47 rooms, and the rates are
was known for years as Sikes' Coffee House. $2 per day. The German-American House, Samuel B. Thomas succeeded in 1823, and at 35 Mechanic street, is the only German called the house the Temperance Exchange, hotel in the city. The Hotel Pleasant, Pleas- and later it became the Exchange. He was ant street, Hotel Adams, High street, K'en- more, Main street, and Hotel Prentice, Crown street, are family hotels. There are numerous smaller hotels with various prices. Good boarding-houses are to be found in different parts of the city.
Hotels, (Old). - The oldest continuous tavern site in Worcester is where the Bay State House now stands. It was established by Daniel Heywood in 1722. It was kept by Moses Chapin in the early part of the present century, and in 1809 by William Chamberlain. Samuel Hathaway and Alvan Robinson came later, the latter being succeeded by Cyrus Stockwell, and the establishment for some years went under the name of Stockwell's Tavern. In 1827 it was called the "Sun Tavern," kept by Lewis Lilley, and the next year the "Rising Sun Inn," kept by S. Banis- ter, who removed to the Blackstone Hotel in 1830, and Stockwell, who had probably leased the property to Lilley and Banister, returned for a short time. Under the name of Central Hotel it was kept by Jones Estabrook in 1832, and 1835 by Z. Bonney. The Sterne or "King's Arms" Tavern, on the site of the Lincoln House, was kept by Thomas Sterne and his widow, from 1732 till after the Revo- lution. In 1786 John Stowers, who had Swan was landlord here for twenty years from previously kept a tavern elsewhere in the 1851. The old "Swan's Hotel" was re- town, took this house, which was then called moved to make room for the Union Passenger
succeeded by his son-in-law, P. W. Wait, in 1840, who kept it until 1854. It has since been in various hands. The John Chandler Mansion, present site of the Walker building, corner Main and Mechanic streets, was kept before and after 1800 by Ephraim Mower as a public house. In 1818 William Hovey erect- ed a brick building on the spot, called the "Brick Hotel," and kept by Oliver Eager. Howe & White succeeded the latter in 1821, and they were succeeded by William Hovey in 1823, who then called it the "Worcester Hotel," and later it was known as the United States. James Worthington kept it for several years. This building rented from 1818 to 1822 for $550 per annum. It was moved back in 1854, when Clark's block was built. In 1827 Capt. Joseph Lovell opened his "Blackstone Canal Inn" at the corner of Main and Thomas streets. Samuel Banister took it in 1830, and Nov. 27, 1833, Eleazer Porter purchased it for a temperance hotel, and it was called the "Worcester Temperance House" for several years. Warner Hinds suc- ceeded Porter in 1835. It was kept as+a hotel until 1866. S. Hathaway kept a tavern at Washington square from 1825 to 1831, and was succeeded by William R. Wesson. Elliott
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Station. In 1835 Hon. A. D. Foster con- verted his dwelling house, corner of Main and Foster streets, into a hotel, which until 1857 was known as the "American Temperance House" or the American House. On the other corner of Foster street,. was kept for a time, the Railroad Hotel, also opened about 1835. In 1833 a Boston company formed a project for the erection of a hotel on the plan of the Tremont House in Boston, opposite the Town Hall, but for some reason it was given up. Other old taverns at different times were the Jones Tavern, south of Park street on Main, in the Revolutionary era; the Jones Tavern at New Worcester, kept by three gen- erations; the Baird Tavern on the Grafton road, and the Cow Tavern in the north part of the town. The length of this notice for- bids the mention of several others not as well- known as the above.
House of Correction .- See Fail.
Hussar Relics .- In the Museum of The Worcester Society of Antiquity may be seen an iron cannon, and some smaller relics from the wreck of the frigate Hussar, the British treasure-ship, which was sunk at Pot Rock in the East River at New York, Nov. 25, 1780. This ship had on board specie to the amount of £960,000, the three years' pay due the army and navy in this country at that time. Attempts have been made at different times to recover this treasure, and some forty years ago, Hon. Charles B. Pratt was engaged for a time in diving at the scene of the wreck, and the above-mentioned relics were brought up by him. Mr. Pratt began his experience as a diver, by volunteering, when a boy only four- teen years of age, to take the place of a man who had failed to appear in a diving exhibi- tion at Rochester, N. Y., in 1838. He re- mained under water an hour and was paid $50 for the feat. He afterwards engaged in operations at Key West, Gibraltar, and other places, and was well-known in connection with the attempts to raise the Hussar. It is not certainly known whether any of the money was found, and the idea still holds that the treasure is intact. A company has recent- ly been formed in Leominster in this county with the purpose to further prosecute the search for the sunken wealth.
Hygiene Association .- See Emergency and Hygiene.
Indian Association, ( Worcester ). - Was formed in 1885, its purpose being to improve the condition of the red men. The association holds monthly meetings.
Industrial School .- See Polytechnic In- stitute.
Insane Asylums .- The Worcester Luna- tic Hospital was established by the state, and opened for patients in 1833. The building on Summer street (since enlarged) was occupied until the combletion of the new hospital at the lake in 1877. Some 15,000 patients have been treated, and about 800 are at present accommodated. The new buildings situated on an eminence west of Lake Quinsigamond, and about two miles from the city, command a fine view of the surrounding country. Dr. H. M. Quinby is superintendent.
The Worcester Insane Asylum is located on Summer street, in the building formerly occu- pied by the Lunatic Hospital, and was re- opened in October, 1877. Only chronic cases are treated here. Dr. E. V. Scribner is the superintendent.
Both of the above institutions are under the direction of a board of seven trustees appoint- ed by the Governor.
Dr. Merrick Bemis, for many years super- intendent of the Worcester Lunatic Hospital, is the proprietor of a private insane asylum known as Herbert Hall on Salisbury street.
Institute Park .- A public ground situated between Salisbury street and Salisbury pond, presented to the City, Oct. 1, 1887, by Stephen Salisbury, Esq. The tract comprises about 18 acres, with a small reservation in front of the Polytechnic Institute, upon which the Institute may erect a building at some future time if required. Mr. Salisbury has just erected pavilions, stone tower after the model of the old mill at Newport, connected the island by a handsome bridge, and is otherwise improving the ground at his own expense.
Insurance Companies .- The Worcester Mutual Fire Insurance Co. was incorporated February 1I, 1823. John A. Fayerweather of Westborough is president, and Roger F. Upham secretary and treasurer. The office is at 377 Main street. The Merchants' and Farmers' Fire Insurance Co., incorporated 1846. John D. Washburn is president and E. B. Stoddard, secretary. Office 242 Main street. The First National Fire 'Insurance
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INS-IRI
Co. was incorporated in 1869. The president is among them who might be considered Charles B. Pratt, the vice-president and treas- wealthy, there are many successful and enter- urer, R. James Tatman, and the secretary, prising business men, traders, and contractors Geo. A. Park. Office 410 Main street. The who have gained a competency; and the pro- Worcester Manufacturers' Mutual Insurance portion of Irish who own their homes is quite Co. was reorganized in 1861. George M. large. Rice is president and treasurer, and S. R. Irish Societies .- The principal Irish soci- Barton secretary. Office 448 Main street. eties are included in the following :
The Peoples' Mutual, Bay State and Central Ancient Order of Hibernians, a mutual Mutual companies failed in 1872 in conse- benefit and fraternal order. Division I was quence of the Boston fire. The State Mutual organized in 1867, Division 3 in 1871, Divis- Life Assurance Co., incorporated in 1844, ion 24 in 1876. The A. O. H. Guards and occupies a fine building at 240 Main street. A. George Bullock is president and Henry M. tached to this order. The rooms are at 98 Witter secretary. two companies of Hibernian Rifles are at- Front street. There is a total membership of Insurance or Fire Patrol. - See Pro- tective Department. 750. The Washington Social Club, the lead- ing social organization, was organized in 1882 and incorporated in 1884. The rooms at 98 Inventions and Inventors .- It was once said that more patents had been granted to Worcester County inventors than to those of any other county in the United States. With- out asserting or denying the truth of this statement, it can be said that some of the most important inventions and improvements in use originated in Worcester County. The most valuable one in all its results is undoubtedly the eccentric lathe of Thomas Blanchard. This, with the typewriter of Charles Thurber, and the calliope of J. C. Stoddard, shows the verge of usefulness and novelty, and from them the scale runs down through an almost inconceivable number and variety of useful and curious innovations to a world of small notions. The limits of the DICTIONARY will not admit of anything like adequate mention, or even bare enumeration of the different and invaluable inventions introduced by Worcester County men. The Stowells, who made car- pets in Worcester in the first years of the century, were famous for their ingenuity, and received several patents. William Hovey was noted as an early Worcester inventor, and with the Stowells, heads a list numbering a legion. Brief mention of a few inventions will be found in the article on Manufactures. Front street are fitted up with much elegance. The Club also has a fine house at Lake Quin- sigamond on the Shrewsbury side. Of tem- perance societies the Father Mathew Mutual Benefit Total Abstinence Society stands at the head. The first Catholic Temperance Society was organized in Worcester in 1840. It lived about a year. Rev. James Fitton was president. On the 4th of November, 1849, the Father Mathew Society was organized shortly after Father Mathew's visit here. It is a mutual benefit society, as its name states, bound by the principle of total abstinence. Members when sick receive $5 per week for 13 weeks, and $3 per week for the succeed- ing 13. Each member is assessed 50 cents for a burial fund when a member dies. The society was incorporated in 1863. In 1873 the house and lot on Temple street were pur- for $4,200, and a hall of brick erected at a cost of $2,300 additional. This property was sold a year or two ago to Rev. Fr. Griffin for $9,500, and the new Father Mathew Hall on Green street, corner of Harrison, erected at a cost of $30,000. The lot of 6,310 feet of land was purchased of Mary Carroll for $6,000. The Society is now in debt about $18,000. The amount of benefits paid since Irish .- The census 1885 gives 10,695 as the number of natives of Ireland in Worcester, but this does not represent half the population of Irish blood. Indeed it was claimed recent- ly, by a prominent representative of the race, that there were over 30,000 Irish in the city. In general the Irish people have prospered to a greater degree in Worcester than in most other places. Although there are only a few 1849 is $35,000, and 52 members have died. The present membership is 260. This society has paraded on several notable occasions and celebrations. The St. John's Catholic Tem- perance and Literary Guild of St. John's Parish, the Sacred Heart Lyceum, St. Aloy- sius Society and Young Women's Literary Society of Sacred Heart parish, and St. Anne's Society and Guards of St. Anne's parish are
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prominent temperance societies. The Catho- Sunday worship. The number of committents lic Order of Foresters, Court 59, was organ- ized a few years since. The Irish Catholic Benevolent Society, formed in 1863, meets at 98 Front street. The St. John's Cadets is a military and temperance organization of boys. The Grattan Literary Society and the Moore Club have been prominent in the past.
Iron Hall .- Branch No. 396 was organ- ized in 1886. Iron Hall Sisterhood, Branch No. 601, was organized in 1887. Both these meet at Veteran Legion Hall, 566 Main street.
Island, (The.)-The region west of Mill- bury street, which by the divergence of the old canal stream from Mill Brook is, or was at one time surrounded by water. Police Station No. 2 is located in this district, on Lamartine street.
Italians .- In 1885 there were 150 Italians in Worcester. The number has increased.
Jail and House of Correction .- In 1732 a portion of the house of William Jennison on Court hill was used as a Jail, a "cage" for temporary use being built there. In 1733 this cage was removed to the house of Daniel Heywood, where the Bay State House now stands. The first jail proper, erected in 1733, stood on Lincoln street, a short distance from Lincoln square. In 1753 a new jail was built a few rods south of the former prison, which was used till 1788, when the stone jail in Lincoln square was completed. This latter was "judged to be at least the second stone building of consequence in the Common- wealth; none being thought superior except the stone (King's) chapel in Boston." It was claimed that it would not need any repairs except the roof for two or three centuries; but in 1835 the building was demolished, and the jail removed to its present quarters on Summer street, where the House of Correc- tion had been established in 1819. The pres- ent jail building was remodeled in 1873 at an expense of $192,000, and was occupied in March, 1874. It contains cells for 194 pris- oners, though many more have been confined here at one time. There are three large and comfortable apartments in the hospital ward, and the sick are attended by the city physi- cian. There is a library of 500 volumes, accessible every Sunday to the prisoners. Protestant and Catholic preachers alternate in
during the year 1891 was 2,083. Of these 13I were women, and 169 minors. The total cost of maintaining the institution for 1891, was $28,991.46, of which $11,828.89 was for salaries. Amount received from labor of pris- oners $4,448.96; from other sources $359.40. Total $4,808.36. Sheriff Samuel D. Nye is jailer, ex-officio. Robert H. Chamberlain is keeper of the Jail and master of the House of Correction. The Jail building is about one- quarter of a mile north of the Union railroad station, or midway between Washington and Lincoln squares.
Jamesville .- The settlement and factory village in the southwest part of Worcester, near the Auburn line. It is reached by Staf- ford street from New Worcester, and is also on the line of the Boston & Albany railroad.
Jamesville Square .- At Jamesville, junc- tion of James, Ludlow, Bennett and Clover streets.
Jews .- Various estimates give the number of Jews in Worcester from 1, 500 to 2,000. They are increasing here, and are generally pros- perous. They have two synagogues-that of the Children of Israel, on Green street, was erected in 1888. The society was formed in 1877. The Sons of Abraham Synagogue on Plymouth street, was erected in 1888, by a society formed two years before. Worcester Lodge, No. 47, Independent Order of Sons of Benjamin, a secret mutual benefit society, was organized in 1882. The Hebrew Inde- pendent Political Club was formed in 1891 for purposes of naturalization. The Hebrew Ladies' Aid and Literary Society was formed in March, 1890. In 1876 the number of Jews in the city did not exceed 25. A society, called the "Worcester County Society for meliorating the condition of the Jews in Eu- rope," was formed here in 1824. S. V. S. Wilder of Bolton was president, and Rev. Aaron Bancroft an active participant in its organization.
Jo Bill Road, now called Institute Road .- The street leading from Salisbury street to Sunnyside. It was a travelled path two hundred years ago, on the way from Boston to Brookfield. Joseph Bill lived on this road about 1750, and the name comes from him.
Junction Station .- See South Worcester.
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JUC -- KNI
Junction Shop .- The large stone building of The Kansas Crusade, its Friends and its on the Norwich railroad, at Jackson street, Foes; and this has since been supplemented just north of the Junction or South Worcester by Ex-Gov. Charles Robinson's Kansas Con- station. This shop was erected in 1853 flict, giving a full account of matters in the by Col. James Estabrook, and the Wood & Territory during that eventful struggle. Light Co. took an interest in it. The propo- sition to build such a shop was made by Eli Thayer, but Col. Estabrook was disinclined to act, as he had much unproductive property on his hands, and did not wish to increase his responsibility. To encourage him in the undertaking, Mr. Thayer procured from Capt. Ephraim Mower a gift of twenty house-lots in consideration of the proposed improvement, delivered the stone to build the shop on credit, carting it from Oread hill with his own teams, and engaged Eugene T. Martin of Woonsock- et to do the masonry, paying him in part with some of the house-lots. After the building was well advanced, Col. Estabrook was able to obtain money on a mortgage to pay Thayer and Martin, and the shop was soon occupied by tenants who paid good rents. It proved a fortunate investment for the owner, and much increased the value of the rest of his real estate in that vicinity.
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