USA > Massachusetts > Gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
The Nashua River flows southeasterly and northeasterly to the Merrimack in the northeastern part; its drainage basin being about one-fourth of the area of the county. The southeastern fourth is drained by the Blackstone and its tributaries ; the French and the Quinnebaug, flowing into the Thames in Connecticut, and the Chico- pee, flowing southwestward into the Connecticut River, occupy the southwestern and western central regions; while Miller's River, also flowing southwest into the Connecticut, drains the northwestern sec- tion. These streams with their numerous tributaries furnish a vast amount of motive power, which is used for propelling the machinery of a great number of manufactories along their courses. The lakes with which the county abounds are now generally made to serve as reservoirs for holding back the water-flow until the times of need. The largest of these lakes are in Worcester and Shrewsbury (the Quinsigamond), Webster, Leicester and Brookfield.
95
WORCESTER.
The geological formation is usually found to be calcareous and ferruginous gneiss, Merrimack schist and the St. John's group. In these metamorphic rocks occurs a great variety of curious and valuable minerals. The soil - generally a mixture of loam with clay or with sand or gravel -is for the most part strong and moist, and well adapted to the agriculture of New England. The timber growth con- sists mainly of oak, chestnut, walnut, maple, birch, ash, poplar, pine, spruce and hemlock.
The number of farms in the county is 9,813; their products being divided in very nearly the average proportion among the various articles derived from agriculture, and amounting in 1885 to the sum of $9,385,744. The number of manufactories was 2,755; and their product, very proportionately divided among leading articles, was $83,209,746. The number of dwelling-houses in the county was 40,531. The valuation in 1888 was $164,828,026.
CAPLEE FULLE ?
ARCHTS
THE INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE, WORCESTER.
At the last census this county had 612 school buildings, whose value, with appurtenances, was $2,595,314. There were also 34 private schools, including one college, seven schools of the grade of academies, one scientific and industrial school, and two business schools; these having in all 53 buildings, and other school property to the value of $652,356. There has since been created the Clarke University at Worcester. The libraries more or less accessible to the public were 341 in number and contained 614,317 volumes. Of these 106 were secular libraries, with 500,564 volumes; and 235 were religious (church, Sunday-school, and association), having 113,753 volumes. From the county presses issued 3 daily, 1 semi-weekly, and 30 weekly newspapers and journals, 4 monthly magazines and 1 bi-monthly.
The county of Worcester was taken from parts of Middlesex, Suf-
96
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
folk and Hampshire counties, and incorporated April 2, 1731. It took the name of the town which became its capital, this having been named for the town of Worcester in England. Its territory was found in the possession of the Nipmuck and Nashaway Indians; the first owning the lands along the Nipmek (later, the Blackstone) River, and the last holding the territory about the Nashua River and its branches. As early as 1643 these tribes, represented by Nashoo- nan, put themselves under the protection of the colony of Massachu- setts. Again, in 1644, two sachems, Nashacowarn and Wassamgin, from the region of the great hill Wachusett, came with others into the General Court, and desired to be received under the protection of the government. Having learned from the court the " Articles " and the Ten Commandments, they presented to that body 26 fathoms of wampum, when in return it " gave each of them a coat of two yards of cloth and their dinner ; and to them and their men, every one of them, a cup of sac at their departure ; so they took leave and went away very joyful." In 1674 the Rev. John Eliot had several Indian " praying towns " within the limits of what is now Worcester County ; but during Philip's War some of the Nipmucks joined his forees. Savage attacks were made in Brookfield, Lancaster, and about Wiek- aboag Pond, and other places, with great destruction in those men- tioned.
By the act incorporating the county, it was ordered "that the towns and places hereafter named & expressed, That is to say, Wor- cester, Lancaster, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Leices- ter, Rutland, & Lunenburg, all in the county of Middlesex; Mendon, Woodstock, Oxford, Sutton, Uxbridge, & the Land lately granted to several Petitioners of Medfield, all in the County of Suf- folk; Brookfield in the County of Hampshire, & the South Town, laid out to the Narragansett Soldiers, & all other Lying within the said Townships, with the Inhabitants thereon, shall from & after the tenth Day of July, which will be in the year of our Lord 1731, be & remain one entire and distinct County, by the name of Wor- cester, of which Worcester to be the County or Shire Town." Of the fourteen towns comprised in the county of Worcester at the time of its organization, Lancaster was the oldest, Mendon next, then Worcester. Division after division has been made in the original towns, until there are now 57, and two cities, - Worcester and Fitch- burg ; the first being the capital. The names of the towns are Ash- burnham, Athol, Auburn, Barre, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Dana, Douglas, Dudley, Gardner, Graf- ton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, New Braintree, Northborough, Northbridge, North Brookfield, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Rut- land, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, Westborough, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westminster and. Winchendon.
In 1765, the population was 32,827; in 1776, 46,437; in 1810,
97
WORCESTER.
64,910; in 1820, 73,925; in 1860, 159,659; in 1865, 162,912; in 1875, 210,295; in 1880, 226,897; and in 1885, 244,039.
Worcester County is, with portions of neighboring counties, in the Sth, 9th, 10th and 11th Congressional Districts ; with a small section of Hampshire County it constitutes the 7th Councillor District; and together with the western counties it has 10 State senators; and is entitled to 29 representatives in the General Court.
The courts were first held in the meeting-house ; the first session of the Court of Probate being on July 13, 1731 ; of the Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, August 10th ; and of the Superior Court of Judicature, September 22d, following. A court-house, 36 feet by 26, was finished and opened in 1734, when an address was delivered by Chief Justice John Chandler, in which he styles it "a beautiful house." This building soon proved too limited, and another, 40 feet by 36, was erected in 1751; and this was followed by another costing about $20,000, opened September 27, 1803. The present court-house, built of Quincy granite, and costing about $100,000, was erected in 1845. A jail was erected in 1733; prisoners, prior to this, having been confined in private houses. A second jail of wood was con- structed in 1753; but this proving insecure, a prison of stone, the second in importance of that material in the State, was erected in 1788, and demolished in 1835. The county House of Correction was first occupied in 1819, and subsequently used as a jail.
In all the wars in which the nation has been engaged, the citizens of Worcester county have shown a patriotic spirit, always furnishing promptly their due proportion of men and means. During Shays' rebellion, in 1796-7, this county was the scene of much excitement and disorder. In September, 1786, about 200 of the insurgents took possession of the court-house. At the time for opening the ses- sion of the Court of Common Pleas, Chief Justice Artemas Ward, at the head of the members of the court and bar, and attended by the sheriff, bravely advanced in front of a line of levelled muskets to the seat of justice, and, addressing the rebels, said : "I do not regard your bayonets. You may plunge them into my heart, but while that heart beats I will do my duty." The insurgents then advancing pressed their bayonets against his breast; yet he stood as immovable as a statue, and continued his harangue. Awed by his conduct, the insur- gents committed no act of personal violence at this time. The court then adjourned ; and, moving through the rebel files, repaired to the United States Arms Tavern. Finding that there were no local troops to rely upon, the court soon adjourned to next term. The insurgents took possession of the court-house again on November 21st and 22d, to prevent the sitting of the Court of Sessions ; and a third time in the first week in December, when they were met by two Worcester regi- ments, and prudently retired. On the 6th instant Daniel Shays, the leader, arrived with 350 men; raising the number of insurgents to nearly 1,000. The town had the appearance of a military camp, and the rebels were billeted on the different families; by whom in general they were kindly treated, - being regarded rather as objects of pity than of fear. The leaders issued a declaration of their grievances ;
.
98
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
then hearing of the approach of General Shepard with 4,000 State troops, they hurried westward into Hampden County.
As the manufacturing interests increasingly engaged the attention of the people, efforts were made to facilitate communication between the towns and the metropolis of the county and that of the Common- wealth. The common roads were greatly improved ; and in 1806, the Worcester Turnpike, leading over Lake Quinsigamond into Boston, was incorporated. The Blackstone Canal, extending 45 miles from Worcester to Providence, was commenced in this State in 1826, and was completed in 1828; the cost being about 8750,000. It had 48 locks; the fall from Worcester to tide-water at Providence being about 451 feet. The Providence and Worcester Railroad, completed Octo- ber 20, 1847, diverted the traffic from the canal, and it soon ceased to be operated. The Boston and Worcester Railroad was incorporated in 1831, being now a section of the Boston and Albany Railroad; the Norwich and Worcester Railroad and the Western Railroad, another section of the present Boston and Albany, in 1833; the Worcester and Nashua Railroad in 1845; the Worcester and Fitchburg Railroad in 1846; then followed the Springfield and Athol, the Fitchburg Railroad, connecting Fitchburg with Boston; the Troy, Fitchburg, and Greenfield, connecting the Boston line with the Hudson River; also the Ware River Railroad, and the Fitchburg Division of the Old Colony Railroad. These, with several branches and extensions, pene- trate, it is believed, every town in the county; so that facilities of travel, transportation, and communication by steam roads are unsur- passed by those of any other county in the State, except Suffolk.
THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES,
ALSO, THE PRINCIPAL
MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, PONDS, BAYS, CAPES AND ISLANDS OF MASSACHUSETTS.
ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED .*
Abbot Village, in Andover, - which consult.
Abington is an important and thrifty manufacturing town in the northwesterly part of Plymouth County, having an area of 6,000 acres. Holbrook and Weymouth lie on the north, Rockland on the east, Whitman on the south, and Brockton on the west. It is twenty miles southeast of Boston, on the Cape Cod line of the Old Colony Railroad, which has stations at Abington, and North Abington ; each of which also have post-offices. The pop- ulation in 1885 was 3,699; when there were about 70 farms and 759 dwellings. On May 1st, 1888, the latter had increased to 812.
The geological formation is sienite, and carboniferous. In some localities blue slate, bog-iron ore, and peat are found. The land is somewhat elevated, and forms the water-shed between the North and Taunton rivers. The pond, with its groves, at the southern village is a charming place, and much frequented by pleasure parties.
The soil is in some parts very good, and the farms are fairly fer- tile, - the dairies, in 1885, yielding $15,740, and the aggregate product being $46,046. About 2,300 acres are woodland; the prin- cipal growth of which is oak, maple, birch and pine. The chief manufactures are shoes, and the material and machinery requisite. The aggregate value of all goods made during the year of the last state census was $2,053,538. Other manufactures are clothing, furniture, lumber and wooden goods, - the last item amounting to
-
* For a list of the cities, see article on Civil Divisions, etc., on page 26. Shire towns and cities are indicated by capitals for the entire name.
-
100
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
about $75,000. The valuation in 18SS was $2,080,926, with a taxation of $17.80 on $1,000. The Abington National Bank, by the last state- ment of the, comptroller, had resources to the amount of $278,414. The Abington Savings Bank, on January 1, 1889, had deposits and un- divided earnings to the sum of $1,394,357. There is here a good weekly newspaper - the " Plymouth County Journal," seven libraries aggre- gating some 10,000 volumes; of which number, the town public library has about 6,000 volumes, the Young Ladies' Sodality Library nearly 700, and the four Sunday schools have the remainder. The town has graded schools with seven school-houses, valued, with appurtenances, at $50,000. The first Congregational church here was organized in 1712; the fourth at North Abington in 1839. The New Jerusalem church was organized in 1835, and the Universalist in 1863 There is also a Roman Catholic church, bearing the name of St. Bridget's.
Abington (including the southern section, now the town of Whit- man) sent about 1,100 men into the armies of the Union in the late war; of whom about 100 were lost. Among its men were thirty- three commissioned officers. The town had, in 1885, twenty-seven citizens over 80 years of age.
The Indian name of Abington was Manamauskeagin, - " many beavers." The first grant of land was made in 1648 to Nathaniel Souther. Grants were also made to Peregrine White (the first man born in the Plymouth Colony) and others anterior to 1660. The first saw-mill was built at South Abington, then called " Little Comfort," in 1698. The town was formed from part of Bridgewater and cer- tain lands adjoining, and established in 1712 as " Abington,"-from the town of that name in Berkshire County, England. At that time it contained about 300 inhabitants. In 1827 a part of its territory was taken to form Hanover. In 1874 the eastern side of the town was set apart and established as Rockland. In 1875 the southern part was taken to form South Abington, which has since been re- named Whitman.
The first minister here was the Rev. Samuel Brown, ordained Dec- ember 8, 1711. The house in which he preached had neither steeple, bell, nor pews. The second edifice was erected in 1751; the third in 1819; and the present one in 1849. The Rev. Mr. Brown had five negro slaves, some of whom attained a remarkable longevity. Church bells were cast in the town as early as 1769; and cannon were made here for the State during the Revolution. The celebrated frigate "Constitution " was built, in part, from white oak timber furnished by the Abington woods.
One of the eminent men of a generation now passed away was Aaron Hobart, a leading lawyer, author, state senator and member of Congress, who was born in this place, June 26, 1787.
Acoaxet, a village in Westport.
Acre, a village in Clinton.
F
101
ACTON.
Acton is a thriving town situated slightly west of the centre of Middlesex County, 25 miles west of Boston by the Fitchburg Railroad. It is bounded by Littleton and Westford on the north, Carlisle and Concord on the east, Maynard and Stow on the south, and Boxborough and Littleton on the west. Its villages are Acton (centre), North Acton, South Acton, West Acton and Ellsworth (East Acton P. O.), all of which are post-offices. The Fitchburg Railroad has stations at South and at West Acton; the Nashua and Lowell branches of the Old Colony Railroad intersect the eastern part of the town (the latter having a station at Ells- worth) and connect it with the roads of southern Massachusetts. The area of taxable surface is 11,942 acres ; of which 3,650 are wood- land. The population, in 1885, was 1,785; and there were 413 dwelling-houses. The town is liberally supplied with streams ; hav- ing the Nashoba Brook, which enters the town from the north and leaves it on the southeast, shortly emptying into the Assabet River near its junction with the Concord ; the Ford Brook, in the south- east, drawing its supply from the Heathen-meadow Brook, coming from Stow and from Grassy Pond (33 acres) in the north-western part of Acton ; and the Assabet River, just touching the town at the southeastern corner. On the northwestern line is Nagog Pond, a large and beautiful sheet of water having a depth of 47 feet in a large part of its area; its outlet entering Nashoba Brook. Both this and Ford Brook furnish several powers suitable for small mills.
The principal stone is calcareous gneiss, from which good build- ing material is obtained. There is also a valuable bed of limestone. The surface of the town is uneven, somewhat rocky and hard to cul- tivate ; yet the farms are generally remunerative. Their number is about 190; and the product, in 1885, was $209,633; of which the dairies yielded $77,065 ; hay, straw and fodder, $50,132 ; vegetables, $19,417. There were 29,756 fruit trees, 1,467 neat cattle of all ages and 240 horses. There are lumber mills, pail and tub factories, a powder mill, a woollen mill, pencil works, soapstone works, and others. The aggregate of goods made in 1885, is $332,345. The valuation in 18SS was $1,310,947 ; and the rate of taxation, $9.60 on $1,000.
Acton village, at the centre, with its neat public buildings and private residences, its well-shaded streets and common, presents an air of quiet beauty and repose. South Acton is the chief manufac- turing part of the town, and a lively village, having several fine buildings and residences.
Acton has both graded and mixed schools including a high school, with six school buildings and property valued at $22,600. There are, in the town, five libraries, aggregating about 3,000 volumes. Two of these, having about 2,000 volumes, are association libraries ; the others belong to Sunday schools. There are two weekly papers published here, the ," Advance " and the " Patriot."
This town was settled by the Shepherd, Law and other families, as early as 1656. There were leased for twenty years to Captain Thomas Wheeler in 1688, a tract of 200 acres of upland near the Silas Holden place, and one of 60 acres of meadow on Nashoba
طـ
102
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Brook, on condition that he should keep for the inhabitants, " except twelve Sabbath days yearly," a herd of fifty cattle for one shilling per head, to be paid " one third part in wheat, one third part in rie or pease, and the other third part in Indian corn." He was to pro- tect them in a yard at night from the wild beasts. He also agreed to build a house 40 feet by 18, with a " pair of chimneys," and a barn 40 feet by 24, to be left to the town on the expiration of the lease.
The first meeting-house was erected in 1736; and the first minis- ter, Rev. John Swift, was ordained November 8, 1738. His succes- sors were the Revs. Moses Adams, ordained in 1778, and Marshall Shedd, in 1820. There are now four church edifices in the town ; but the oldest existing society is the Congregational, organized in
1832; while the Baptist society, at West Acton, was organized in 1846, and the Universalist in the same village in 1876. The records of the Universalist society at South Acton extend back to 1866.
This town was incorporated on July 3, 1735 ; having been formed of a part of Concord called "The Village," or "New Grant," with " Willards Farms." In 1780, parts of Acton and neighboring towns were taken to form Carlisle. The town had, in 1885, twenty-six in- habitants over eighty years of age. At the centre stands a granite monument in memory of Captain Isaac Davis, killed in the Concord fight, April 19, 1775. Rev. William G. T. Shedd, D.D., an eminent. divine and prolific author, was born here, June 21, 1820.
.
103
ACUSHNET - ADAMS.
Acushnet is a very pleasant town in the southeasterly part of Bristol County, with a population in 1885, of 1,071. It is bounded by Freetown and Rochester on the north, the latter and Mattapoisett on the east, Fairhaven on the south, and New Bedford on the west. It contains 8,945 acres, - of which 4,575 acres are woodland. Nearly one-third of the original area was annexed to New Bedford in 1875. It was formerly in- cluded in the town of Fairhaven, having been incorporated on Febru- ary 13, 1860. Its name is from the beautiful river which flows southward along the western side to the bay. Another pretty stream flows along Mattapoisett River in the southeast. New Bedford Reservoir, of 280 acres, is a very attractive sheet of water. Acush- net, on the New Bedford branch of the Old Colony Railroad, is the nearest station. The post-offices are Long Plain, on the eastern side of the town and Acushnet Village at the southwest. Belleville is another small village. The land is generally even, and the soil - principally loam - quite fertile. The geological formation is fels- pathic gneiss and granite. Mendal's Hill, 146 feet high, in the east- erly part of the town, was one of the stations in the trigonometrical survey. The view from the heights is spoken of as truly magnifi- cent, including sea and land. There are various small manufactures. The product of sawed lumber in 1885 was valued at $3,140. The principal employment is farming ; and the aggregate product of the 145 farms in 1885 was valued at $130,277. At that date the town contained 241 dwelling-houses, and a total of 611 buildings. The valuation of the town in 1888 was $620,050, and the rate of taxation ·was $10 on $1,000.
The town has five public school-houses valued at $6,000. Three libraries connected with Sunday schools have 1,200 volumes. The Methodists, Baptists, Christian Baptists, Adventists and the Friends, each have a church edifice. Hon. Walter Spooner, Ansel White, Col. A. P. Robinson, S. B. Hamlin and Pardon Taber, junior, were eminent citizens.
Adams (so named in honor of the patriot Samuel Adams) is an important and flourishing agricultural and manu- facturing town on the Hoosac River, in the northern part of Berkshire County, about 140 miles northwest of Boston. It is connected with the Fitchburg Railroad at the village of North Adams, and with the Boston and Albany at Pittsfield by a direct line between those two places ; the principal stations in the town being Adams and Maple Grove. Its postal villages are Adams and Zylonite. Other villages are Arnoldsville, Howland and Renfrew. North Adams (formerly a part of this town) bounds it on the north; Savoy, on the east; Cheshire, on the south; and New Ashford on the west. Its area is 11,900 acres, aside from highways and water surfaces. Of this, there are 5,203 acres of woodland.
The surface is hilly, rising at the southwest to the eminence known as Saddle Ball, and at the northwest, to the noted and lofty summit of Graylock, 3,505 feet above the sea; being the highest
104
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
peak in the Saddleback range and in the State. The sides of this mountain are covered with a growth of maple, beech, birch and cherry, over which the observer at the summit looks upon a most magnificent prospect. "Down at his feet," says Rev. W. Gladden, "lies the valley of the Hoosac, nearly three thousand feet below, Pittsfield with its beautiful lakes, and many smaller villages are seen in the valleys and many of the adjacent slopes. Southwestward the eye sweeps over the tops of the Taconics, away to the Catskills be- yond the Hudson; northwestward, the peaks of the Adirondacks, in Northern New York, are plainly visible; in the north the sturdy ridges of the Green Mountains file away in grand outline; on the east Monadnock and Wachusett renew their stately greeting, and Tom and Holyoke look up from their beautiful valley; southward Mount Everett (the Taconic. Dome) stands sentinel at the portal of Berkshire, through which the Housatonic flows. And all this grand cireuit is filled with mountains ; range beyond range, peak above peak, they stretch away on every side, a boundless expanse of moun- tain summits."
The Hoosac River, entering the town at the middle of its southern border, continues the same course, flowing through a valley of great fertility, flanked on either side by lofty hills. The underlying rock is Lauzon schist, Potsdam and Levis limestone. Beautiful marble has been quarried for the market in the town. The number of farms in 1885 was 111 ; and their total product was $154,017, - the dairies con- tributing $49,902 of this amount. The manufactures consist of cot- ton goods chiefly ; but there are large products of food preparations, woollen cloths,lumber, paper, stone, machinery and metallic and zylon- . ite goods, and others to the number of 48 establishments. Textile goods brought the sum of $1,948,461; building materials and stone, $108,598; food preparations, $54,530; the aggregate reaching the amount of $3,702,943. The valuation of estates in 1888 was $3,45S,- 104; with a tax of $16.50 on $1,000. The First National Bank, on December 1st, 18SS, had assets to the value of $437,836; and the amount of deposits in the Savings Bank on January 1st, 1889, was $572,254.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.