USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Holliston > Genealogical register of the inhabitants and history of the towns of Sherborn and Holliston, 1856 > Part 43
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sherborn > Genealogical register of the inhabitants and history of the towns of Sherborn and Holliston, 1856 > Part 43
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64. 273. Amos H. Cooledge, Amh. C., 1854, and now a member of Theo. Sem., Andover.
CLERGYMEN.
92. * Daniel Gookin, 1785-1717-'18.
11. * Daniel Baker, 1712-1731.
203. * Samuel Porter, 1734-1758.
173. * Samuel Locke, D. D., 1759-1770.
18. * Elijah Brown, 1770-1816.
* Shearjashub B. Townsend, 1817-1829.
61. Amos Clark, 1830-1842.
Richard C. Stone, 1843-1855.
Theodore H. Dorr, 1854, to the present time.
PASTORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH AND SOCIETY. Samuel Lee, 1830. Smith.
79. Edmund Dowse, 1838, to the present time.
DEACONS IN THIE PRESUMED ORDER OF THEIR ELECTION.
*
Obadiah Morse, elected, 1655.
* Benoni Learned.
* Hopestill Lealand.
* Wm. Lealand.
-
* Wm. Greenwood.
* James Whitney.
* Jona. Russell.
* Jona. Twitchell.
* Benj. Whitney.
* Ebenezer Fairbanks.
* Wm. Clark.
* Wm. Tucker .?
Joseph Dowse.
* Aaron Leland. Oliver Fisk.
* Micha Leland.
* Deceased.
311
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Of the Orthodox Chh.
Daniel Leland.
Aaron Cooledge, of do.
Lowell Cooledge, of do., elected, 1854.
Martin Barber, do., 1854.
PHYSICIANS.
83. Jonathan Fairbank, ab. 1685-1719.
102. Eleazer Hill, ab. 1712 -**** r. at City Hill.
245. Jonathan Tay, 1772-1827.
173. Samuel Locke, ab. 1783-1788.
264. Tapley Wyeth, 1784-1813.
Wm. Sweetser, ab. 1818, " for a considerable time," who was afterwards Prof. in V. U., at Burlington.
81. Oliver Everett, 1825-1852.
16. Albert H. Blanchard, 1852 to the present time. Docts. Lincoln, Shepherd, Levet, Blodget, Flagg, Wise and Wight, are reported as having resided here, but when and for what time is not ascertained.
LAWYERS.
Sherborn has never had a lawyer; and yet is believed to have trans- acted her own business as legally, and to have been afflicted and im- poverished far less by litigation than her sister towns, which have long had able and high-minded lawyers established in their midst. Such was formerly her relative rank for other characteristics than litigation, as to attract hither the immortal Ames to establish himself in practice ; but he soon left for Dedham. Daniel Warren, about 1812, opened a Law Office here, but his fees did not encourage his continuance ; and the like result would probably be realized from a third attempt, if made before Sherborn changes her inhabitants or greatly increases her business.
SELECTMEN.
Daniel Morse, Sen., chosen 1678, and served until his death in 1688, probably without re-election.
Thos. Eames, chosen 1678, and served until his death, 1680.
Geo. Fairbank, chosen 1678, and served until his death, 1682.
Edward West, chosen 1678, and re-elected at the end of 10 years, 1688, '89, '90, '91, '92, and '94.
Obadiah Morse, 1678, pr. served until 1688, and re-elected 1695, '96, '97, '98, 1700, '02, '03, '04.
Joseph Morse, chosen 1688, '89, '90, '91, '94, '96, '97, '99, 1700, '02, '05, '07, '10, '11, '12, '14.
John Death, 1688, '90, '93-4, '96.
Benj. Bullard, 1688.
Jona. Morse, Senr., 1688, '89, '90, '91, '93, '95, 1711.
Hopestill Lealand, 1689, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96, '97, '99, 1700-'03. John Eames, 1690, '92.
312
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Thos. Holbrook, Senr., 1690.
Benoni Learned, 1690, '93, '95, '97, 1700, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '10.
John Perry, Senr., 1692, '93.
Isaac Learned, 1692, '98, 1706.
Jolın Cooledge, 1692, '93, '94, '98, 1700, '02, '06, '07, '08, '09.
Jona. Fairbank, 1695, '98, '99, 1700, '01.
Wm. Rider, Senr., 1696, '97, '98.
Sam'l Bullard, 1699, 1704, '05, '09, '10, '11, '12, '14, '15, '16,'17, '18, '19, '20, '21, '23, '24, '26, '27. Eben. Leland, 1699.
Thos. Sawin, 1701, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12, '14
Moses Adams, 1701.
Eleazer Fairbank, 1703.
Samuel Morse, 1704.
Abraham Cousens, 1707, '08.
Nathaniel Morse, 1707, '08.
Wm. Rider, Junr., 1708, '09, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19, '20, '21, '23, '24, '27, '29, '31, '33.
WVm. Sheffield, 1709.
Eleazer Holbrook, 1709, '11, '12, '22.
" Thos. Holbrook," 1710.
- Eben. Badcock, 1711.
John Death, Esq., 1712, '15, '16, '21, '23, '26, '27, '28, '30, '33, '36, '37, '40, '42, '44, '46.
Henry Lealand, 1713, '14, '21, '23, '24, '27.
Joseph Ware, 1713, sarg. '15, '16, '17, '20, '21, '22, '23, '24, '25, '29, '34, '36.
Benj. Whitney, Jun., 1713, '15, '16, '17, '18.
Edmond Gookin, 1718.
Eben. Lealand, Sen., 1719, '20, '31.
Jolin Golding, 1719, '22.
Nathaniel Sheffield, 1722.
John Holbrook, 1722, '28, '29, '30, '31, '32.
Timothy Lealand, 1722.
James Adams, 1725.
Eleazer Fairbank, Jun., 1725.
William Lealand, 1725, '27, '28, '29, '33, '34, '36, '38, '40.
Isaac Cooledge, 1725, 31, 32, 34, 43.
Jona. Fairbank, 1726.
Eleazer Morse, 1726, '32, '44.
Joseph Twitchell, 1726.
Benj. Muzzey, 1726, '30, '33.
Wm. Greenwood, 1728, '29, '32, '35, '36, '47.
John Brick, 1728.
Ephm. Bullen, 1730.
Sam'l Holbrook, 1731, '35, '37, '39, '41, '43, '55.
-
HISTORY OF SHERBORN. 313
Benj. Bullard, 1730, '32, jun. '35, '38, '40, '42, '44, '46, '47, '50, '51, '53, '54, '56, '59.
Samuel Fairbank, 1733.
Eleazer Fairbank, Ens., 1734, '36.
James Whitney, 1735, '39, '42, '52, '59.
Joseph Perry, Jun., '35, '37, '39, '41, '42, '43, '45, '49, '50, '54, '55, '58, '59, '62, '63, '64. John Phipps, 1737, '40. Joseph Lealand, 1737, '39. Obadiah Morse, 1738.
. Ephm. Bullen, 1738.
1. Arthur Clark, 1739, '49, '51, '57, '58, '60.
Jona. Russel, 1740, '43, '45, '46, '54, 59, '63, '64, '65, '66.
Nathaniel Hill, 1741, '42, '44, '46, '50.
Jona. Fairbank, 1741.
Richard Sanger, 1741, '48, '51, '54, '56, '57, '58, '60, '61, '67. James Cooledge, 1744, '53.
Eleazer Holbrook, 1745.
Edward Learned, 1745, Cpt., '50, '55.
Thos. Morse, 1745.
Joseph Frost, 1743.
Amos Cooledge, 1746, '55.
Jona. Lealand, 1747, '57, '67.
Nathaniel Holbrook, 1747, '50, '56, '57.
Caleb Leland, 1747, '55, '61, '62 ; Cpt. '67, '68.
Jona. Partridge, 1748.
Gershom Pratt, 1748, '56.
Eben. Twitchell, 1748 ; jun., '59.
Jona. Holbrook, 1749, '66.
Jabez Stratten, 1749.
John Fisk, 1749. David Perry, 1751.
Joseph Crackbone, 1751.
Joseph or John Ware, 1752.
Thos. Russel, 1752, '53.
Joshua Lealand, 1752, '57, '63, '64, '77, '79, (see next page. )
Joseph Twitchell, 1752, '60, '67, '70, '71 ; Cpt. '73, '74, '76, '77. Eleazer Morse, 1753.
Addington Gardner, 1753.
Jona. Twitchell, 1754, '61, '63, '64, '65 ; Dea. '70, '72.
Eleazer Lealand, 1756.
Joseph Lealand, 1758.
John Ware, 1758.
Doct. Bela Lincoln, 1760, '61 ; Esq. '62, '63.
Samuel Bullard, 1760, '62, '65, '66, '68, '69, '72 ; Col. '75, '78. Ezra Holbrook, 1761, '67.
Moses Perry, 1762.
Daniel Whitney, 1764, '70, '73, '74, '76, 'S2, (sce next page.)
7
314
HISTORY OF SHERBORN. -
John Morse, 1765.
Henry Lealand, 1765, '66, '69, '72, '75. Asa Holbrook, 1766.
Ezra Holbrook, 1767, '68, '69.
Benj. Kendall, 1768, '70, '78.
Benj. Whitney, 1768. Jonas Greenwood, 1769, '76.
Simon Leland, 1769, '75.
Peter Bullard, 1770.
Capt. Andrew Newell, 1771; Esq., '82.
Samuel Sanger, 1771, '77, '80, '81, '82.
Malachi Babcock, 1771.
Elisha Barber, 1771.
Benj. Fasset, 1772, '73, '76, '77, '80.
Curtis Goulding, 1772.
Jedediah Phips, 1773, '80.
Nathaniel Prentice, 1773.
Samuel Clark,'1773, '83.
Thos. Holbrook, 1774.
Jesse Morse, 1774.
Jona. Russell, Jun., 1775, '76, '79.
Hopestill Leland, 1775, '78.
Timothy Daniels, 1776.
John Grout, 1776.
Timothy Hill, 1778, '89, '92, '93.
John Fisk, 1778, '86, '87, '91, 92.
Jedediah Sanger, 1779, '80, '81.
Amos Perry, 1779, '81.
Joseph Ware, 1779, '81, '90.
Benj. Bullard, 1780.
Moses Holbrook, 1780, '81.
John Ware, 1782, '83, '84, '85, '86, '88, '89, '90.
Micha Leland, 1782, '84.
Col. Joshua Leland, 1783, '84, '90.
Cpt. Joseph 'Twitchell, 1783, '84.
Jona. Morse, 1783.
Daniel Whitney, Esq., 1784, '86, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '93, ' '95, 1800, '01, '02, '03. Saml. Sanger, 1785.
- James Hill, 1785. Jona. Russel, 1785, '87, '88, '94, '96.
Daniel Cooledge, 1785, '94, '97, '12, '14.
Adam Leland, 1786, '89.
Doct. Timothy Sheppard, 1786.
Benj. Whitney, 1787. John Whitney, 1794. Abner Mason, 1787. Dea. Wm. Tucker, 1787, '90.
315
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Hopestill Leland, 1788.
Cpt. Aaron Gardner, 1788.
Jona. Leland, 1789, '91, '95. Converse Bigelow, 1790, '95, '98, 1802, '03, '07, '08.
Joseph Ware, 1791, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96. Benj. Ware, 1793, '99, 1801, '02, '03, '11, '12, '13.
Silas Stone, 1793, 1801, '08, '09, '14.
Doct. Jona. Tay, 1795, '96, '97, '98, '99, 1800, '01, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07.
John Sanger, 1796, '98, '99, 1800, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '07, '08, '09.
Dea. Wm. Clark, 1796, '97.
Samuel Clark, 1797.
Dr. Tapley Wyth, 1798, 1800, '01, '06, '09, '10.
Elias Grout, 1799.
Nathan Grout, 1804, '11, '12, '13, '15, '32.
Moses Morse, 1804, '04, '05, '06.
Asa Sanger, 1804, '07.
Samuel Leland, 1805, '07.
Cpt. Samuel Learned, 1806, '09, '10, '17.
Lt. Joseph Daniel, 1806, '11.
Joseph Cooledge, 1808, '10, '12, '14, '16.
Elisha Rockwood, 1808.
Calvin Sanger, Esq., 1809, '10, '11, '14, '28.
Apollos Pond, 1810, '11.
James Bullard, 1813, '14, '20.
Uriel Cutler, 1813, '28.
John Bullard, 1815, '16, '17, '18, '19, '21.
Eleazer Goulding, 1815.
Henry Pratt, 1815.
. James Holbrook, 1815. Joseph Sanger, 1816, '21.
Col. Isaac Whitney, 1816, '18, '19, '20, '23.
Col. Daniel Leland, 1816, '18, '19, '20, '21, '22, '23.
Daniel Leland, Jun., 1820, '21, '22, '23, '28.
John Bigelow, 1817, '18, '19.
James Leland, 1817. Alpheus Ware, 1820, '21. Hezekiah Morse, 1822. John Bullard, Esq., 1824, '28. John Bigelow, 1824, '25.
Curtis Golding, 1824, '39.
Walter Leland, 1824. John Leland, 1824, '34, '35, '36, '43.
John Goulding, Senr., 1791, '92, '97, '98, '99, 1800, '04. Maj. John Goulding, 1818, '19, '22, '23, '25, '26. '30, '31, 32, '45.
Daniel Leland 2d, 1825, '26, '27, '34, '35, '39, '40. Silas Stone, Esq., 1825, '26, '27, '28, '53.
316
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Joseph P. Leland, 1825, '26.
Lemuel Leland, 2d, 1826, '27, '33, '34, '35, '36, '37, '38, '39, '40, '43.
Elijah Hill, 1827, '28, '29, '31.
James Hill, 1827.
Zibeon Hooker, 1829, '36, '41.
Leonard Morse, 1829.
Joseph Eames, 1829.
Amos Perry, 1829.
Micha Leland, 1812, '13, '17, '30, '31, '32, '33, '37.
Alpheus Clark, 1830, '31, '34, '35, '36, '37.
Elisha Barber, 1830.
Daniel Paul, 1830.
Henry Partridge, 1831, '32, '33.
Amos Hill, 1832, '37, '38.
Braton Bullard, 1833, '34.
Jeremiah Butler, Esq., 1833, '41, '42, '44, '49, '53.
John Clark, 1835, '36, '37. Jacob Cushing, 1837, '39, '48.
Jacob Pratt, 1838, '54.
Henry Bullard, 1838, '42.
Samuel Sanger, 1839, '40.
Charles Rockwood, 1841.
Dalton Goulding, Esq., '42, '48, '49, '50, '51, '52, '53.
Benj. Dowse, 1822, '23, '43, '44, '53.
Tho. Bispham, 1844, '46.
Nathl. Dowse, 1845, '46.
Daniel W. Bullard, 1845, '46, '47.
David Daniels, 1847. Tho. J. Morse, Esq., 1847.
Royal Stone, 1848, '49, '50, '51, '53.
Warren Whitney, 1850, '51, '52, '53.
Lyman Whitney, 1852, '53, '54.
Rev. Amos Clark, 1853. James Bullard, 1854.
TOWN CLERKS, AND TIME OF SERVICE.
Obadiah Morse, 1677-'87, 1695-'98, 1702 and 1704. Edward West, 1688, 1693 -- '4. Jona. Fairbank, 1699-1701. John Cooledge, 1705-'10.
William Rider, Jun., 1713-'21, 1723-'5, and 1729. John Goulding, 1722.
William Greenwood, 1726-'8, and 1735-'56.
William Leland, 1730-'4. Joseph Perry, Esq., A. M., 1757-'9. Joseph Twitchell, 1760-'71. Samuel Bullard, 1772.
317
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Daniel Whitney, Clerk, 1773, Clerk and Treasurer,* 1775-'81.
Joseph Warc, Clerk and Treasurer, 1782-'3, 1791-'96, and 1798. John Ware, do. and do., 1784-'6, and 1788-'90.
Wm. Tucker, do. and do., 1787.
Samuel Sanger, do. and do., 1797.
Elias Grout, do. and do., 1799.
Calvin Sanger, do. and do., 1800-'14, and 1816-'19, 1824-'27, 18:29, 1831, and 1834.
Nathan Grout, do. and do., 1815.
Daniel Leland, do. and do., 1820-'23. Dalton Goulding, do. and do., 1825-'32.
Silas Stone, do. and do., 1833-'7.
Alpheus Clark, do. and do., 1838-'54.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Thos. Sawin, 1703.
Jona. Morse, 1706, and 1707.
Samuel Bullard, 1708, 1709 and 1723, '24 and '25.
Eleazer Holbrook, 1711 and 1720.
Joseph Morse, 1715.
Benjamin Whitney, 1716.
Wm. Rider, Jun., 1719.
John Holbrook, Senr., 1722.
John Death, 1721, '28, '30, '38, '39 and '40.
Henry Leland, 1726.
Isaac Cooledge, Esq., 1729, '43, '46, '52,'53. William Leland, 1735.
Joseph Perry, Esq., 1741.
Wm. Greenwood, 1747.
Joseph Twitchell, 1772, '73.
Samuel Bullard, 1774.
Benj. Fasset, Richard Sanger, Members of Provincial Congress, Feb. 1, 1775.
Daniel Whitney, member of Provincial Congress, May 31, 1775, and '76; member of the Convention to form the State Constitution, 1780 ; Rep. 1781, '83, '84, '85, '88, '89, '91, '92, '94, '95, '96, '98, '99, 1800, '01, '03 ; member of the Convention to ratify the Federal Con- stitution, 1788.
Wm. Tucker, 1787.
Calvin Sanger, 1806, '09, '10, '11, '12, '14, '16, '21, '23, '24; inember of the Convention to amend the Constitution, 1820.
Tapley Wythe, 1813. John Bullard, 1819. Silas Stone, 1830, '35, '36, '37.
Micha Leland, 1832. John Goulding, 1833.
. The two offices were then first permanently united
318
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Joseph Sanger, 1840. John Leland, 1843, '44. Amos Clark, Rev., 1845. Jacob Pratt, 1848.
Alpheus Clark, 1838, '39, '51, '52.
Dalton Goulding, Esq., member of Convention to amend the State Constitution, 1853, and rep., 1854.
Malachi Babcock, 1855.
POPULATION.
In 1674, when incorporated, S. contained about 108 souls ; in 1721, three years before Holl. was set off, she had about 408 souls ; in 1764, there were 113 families and 630 inhabitants; in 1820, 811 do. ; in 1830, 900 do. ; and in 1850, 1043 do. During the last 5 years, in con- sequence of the introduction of shoe manufactories, her population has increased more rapidly, and may now amount to 1,400.
EDUCATION.
S. from the first was attentive to education ; and she has furnished for her population a rare number of graduates, mostly the sons of lay- men. In 1770, Rev. Dr. Locke, and after him, Rev. Mr. Brown, kept schools for preparing young men for college. In 1825, an edifice was erected, principally by subscription, in which Rev. Mr. Clark and others gave regular instruction in the Classics and higher branches of English ; and which has of late years continued to be thus used only for an Autumn term. The town, first divided into 3 districts, now con- sists of 7. Each is furnished with a neat and commodious school-house, in which a school is supported by liberal grants from the town for a term, varying with the number of scholars, from 5 to 8 months in a year. Improvements in the organization and management of the schools are anticipated, and a High School, under favorable circumstances, is about to go into operation.
A circulating library of good size and well-chosen volumes is owned by an association, and a great variety and number of periodicals are weekly received. Lyceums and meetings for the discussion of various subjects, (some of late on agriculture,) Sunday schools and Bible classes have been established for years ; and the modern practice of employing distinguished lecturers from abroad has been introduced, much to the amusement, if not profit of the young.
GEOLOGY.
Primitive crystalline rocks outcrop abundantly in the S. W. and E. parts of the town; and altered mica slate in the central and W. parts. Superimposed upon these is a deep deposit of very coarse drift, con- sisting of large bowlders and angular fragments of ledges, situated invariably to the North, at a distance varying from a few paces to forty miles. The ledges, when uncovered, reveal the marks of the drift always pointing in the direction from which it was urged by the waves and
319
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
currents of a former sea. In the valleys and meadows, and beneath the ponds, occur alluvial formations. Every division of the town bears witness to remote volcanic action ; producing changes in the relative level of different tracts, altering, fracturing, dislocating, and overturning rocks of aqueous origin and former horizontal position, and forcing through them mineral matter in a state of fusion, forming veins and dykes of a different rock. The mica slate formation exhibits all these effects. On the common, it is traversed by veins of quartz, and N. of the plain it is the wall-rock of an eruption of porphyritic trap.
S. contains 4 remarkable uplifts, viz. : Pocasset Mountain in the S. part, City Hill in the W. ; Brush Hill in the N. W., and Peter's IIill in the N. The latter, upraised apparently by a force acting in a S. W. direction, leaving its adjoining strata to subside and become deep buried at its base, must originally have presented a perpendicular wall of about 75 feet in height, and { m. in length. This, acted upon by water, frost, and gravity, now presents a bold and rocky talus, almost inaccessible, yet yielding a thrifty growth of wood.
Brush IIill is the highest land in S., and affords an extensive and delightful prospect, of such easy access as to invite admirers of nature from abroad. It admits of cultivation on all sides to its summit. City Hill and Pocasset Mountain are mere cones of almost naked rocks.
In the E. part of the town are indications of the presence of icebergs stranded during the period of the drift. The basins of Farm Lake and the meadow immediately E. of it seem to have been formed by one which kept its moorings until the sea had piled up gravel to a great depth on the N. side, and filled two fissures with the same, which on the melting of the iceberg formed the narrow bank on the E side of the lake, and the island near the S. shore. One fourth of a mile N. W. of the lake others appear to have lodged and occasioned in a similar way the ridge over which the road passes, between two deep basins still partially filled with water.
MINERALOGY.
Near the W. line of S., on the farm of Messrs. Warren & James R. Whitney, occurs a bed of sienite, which from its proximity to the R. R. promises to be extensively quarried. The presence of iron in City Hill and in a swamp near Fram., is reported by the magnetic needle. On and about the common, crystals of epidote, the associate mineral of copper, have been obtained ; and around the same locality have been deposited bowlders of limestone in considerable quantities, brought, as may yet be verified, from Bolton. Intermingled with these, and also in other places, erratic blocks occur, so highly charged with pyrites of iron, as to render buildings underpinned with them liable to spontaneous combustion. In the E. part of the town porphyritic trap is common, which in one instance is associated with calcareous spar. And there are in this vicinity extensive deposits of well-formed peat, of great prospective value to scientific agriculture. In the drift have been found rose quartz, white carnelian, brucite, jasper, asbestos, &c.
-
320
HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
LAKES AND PONDS.
Most of these which anciently existed had made their escape long prior to the arrival of the pale faces ; giving room to those aquatic reeds and grasses which, like those of Western prairies, formed a sward that bid defiance to the encroachment of trees. Before the wearing away of the rock at the Narrows, a deep lake covered the Broad Meadows. Farm Lake, in the E. part of the town, near Charles R., remains, covering about 200 acres. It is a beautiful sheet of water, fed entirely by springs, and subject only to the slightest oscillations. It has an outlet, preserving its waters pure in midsummer; and is well stored with pickerel, perch, &c. It has within a few years been furnished with sail-boats, a house of entertainment, and conveniences for bathing, and become a place of much resort during the watering season. The scenery is highly rural. Little Pond, covering about 40 acres, is 1 m. N. of this, and has little besides fish to attract visitors.
SPRINGS.
S. is well supplied with salubrious springs, and a surface admitting of their artificial formation. Most of the streams by which the town is drained, take their rise on the sides of Brush Hill, at an altitude sufficient for the conveyance of the water to the dwellings and farm houses of a large proportion of the inhabitants. A mineral spring, of ancient celebrity, exists on the S. side of Little Pond; but the most efficacious ones remain to be created ; perhaps by draining the meadow E. of Farm Lake, tapping it beneath its bank, and drawing its waters tardily through conduits, charged with the soluble salts contained in celebrated medicinal waters. Such springs at this place of increas- ing resort might possibly remunerate the cost of construction, and perhaps benefit valetudinarians, and prove a cheaper remedy for home- sickness than those of Saratoga.
STREAMS.
The streams which drain the township and supply mill sites, are Sewall's Br., in, the S. E., Dopping and W. Sherborn Brs., in the S. W., Chestnut or Coarse Br., in the . N. W., and Sawin's Br., in the N. E. They were formerly considerable streams, and drove mills for a greater number of months in the year than at present.
METEOROLOGY.
On the higher grounds, exposed to currents from the ocean, the temperature is more uniform, and vernal frosts seldom occur ; but where the surface is arenaceous and depressed, as in the E. part, liabilities to this evil, both in spring and autumn, are increased. Yet the crops in S. are as certain as in any conterminous town. The frequency and amount of rain deposited have vastly diminished since the highest grounds have been denuded of their lofty and thick forests. While these remained, they occasioned a greater elevation of currents charged with humidity, facilitated the intermixture of warm and cold atmos-
321
"HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
pheres, and thereby secured a greater reduction of temperature, the formation of more clouds, and the descent of more water.
The restoration of such forests in S. and throughout the State is a great desideratum, and ought to be a subject of legislative action. In an age of miracles, the prophet prayed rain from heaven : but the freemen of Mass. have power to legislate it from the air; and while they hold fasts in droughts and pray for showers, let them use the means ordained at creation for bringing them.
SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.
The soil is generally rocky and of difficult tillage, yet fertile. Its inorganic constituents have resulted from the disintegration and decom- position of the rocks and pebbles with which it is so plentifully mixed ; and it is mineralogically identical with them. Where they change, so do the soil and the uses to which it is best adapted. The alkaline phosphates never abounded in any part of it, nor have they been sup- plied by the weathering of the rocks so fast as they have been absorbed and removed. The soil, therefore, is not well adapted to the growth of the cereal grains. The mica slate, which might have been cut by a spade, had Adam's sons arrived some geological periods earlier, has by volcanic heat been rendered intensely hard, yet where naked, or reached by the atmosphere, it weathers rapidly, supplying the pabulum of plants, and especially of the apple, in as great variety as any other rock, or greater. One of its results has been clay, mixed with the drift, however coarse, insuring through capillary attraction the ascent of water in seasons of drought, preventing trees from prematurely shed- ding their fruit. And as the mica slate drift covers more than half of the township, and is often deeper than the vertical range of the apple, none need wonder at the celebrity of S. for apples, cider, and vinegar ; nor charge her with vain presumption if she shall aspire, as a fruit- growing town, to the first rank in Mass. Her geographical position, and meteorology, the constituents of her soil, the interests and neces- sities, the intelligence, industry, and enterprise of her population, guided by the light of science, almost insure her this distinction.
The soil in the N. W. and E. parts of S., is easier of cultivation, more attracting in appearance, and contains valuable orchards and cranberry beds, but has no mica slate. Its pebbles and few bowlders are hard, and weather slow ; and more time is needed for the repairing principle to perform its office. Some tracts are deficient in alumine, and the sand and pebbles too coarse for the ascent of water or culture of productive orchards. These, for the most part, have been abandoned to forest trees, from the growth and sale of which, for firewood and timber, good profits are derived. The soil is excellent for grass and pasturage. The produce of the dairy, the sty, and the stall, continue, as formerly, to be chief staples, and also that of vegetable gardens.
MANUFACTORIES, STORES, &c.
These are few in number, and mostly conducted on a small scale. Mr. Nath'l Dowse, and Dea. Lowell Cooledge & Co., carry on the manu-
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
facture of shoes quite extensively ; Messrs. Benj. & Joseph Dowse, that of whips ; Mr. Malachi Rabcock, that of knives; and Messrs. Flemings, that of willow baskets. A large building has been erected by Mr. Palemon Bickford, for the manufacture of straw goods, and this branch of business is being introduced. Many are extensively engaged in making vinegar, and some still in clarifying cider.
S. contains a post office, of which Jeremiah R. Hawes is P. M. ; three stores, for the sale of dry goods and groceries, by Messrs. Geo. & Chas. A. Clark, and Tho. J. Morse, Esq. ; one do. by Messrs. J. R. Hawes and Henry W. Bullard, for that of shoes, &c. ; and one by Mr. And. Becker (p. 245) for that of clothing, and is supplied with a requisite number of skilful carpenters, stonecutters, and other mechanics.
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