USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Groton historical series. A collection of papers relating to the history of the town of Groton, Massachusetts, Vol IV > Part 20
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George Samuel Gates, Notary Public. William Fisher Wharton, Commis- sioner to Investigate the Charitable and Reformatory Interests and In- stitutions of the Commonwealth.
271
DAVID PRESCOTT.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
January 18, 1893
Daniel Needham.
February 23, 1893
Charles Bixby.
March 22, 1894
Frank Herbert Sampson.
February 21, 1895 .
Charles Jacobs.
February 28, 1895
Frank Lawrence Blood.
March 21, 1895
Moses Poor Palmer.
March 21, 1895
Francis Marion Boutwell.
January 9, 1896
Arthur Parker Stone.
AN order of Congress has been issued, empowering Major [Aaron] Brown, of Groton, to take depositions, in the contested election of Mr. Varnum, before any Judge of the established Courts of this State.
"The Boston Gazette, and Weekly Republican Journal," April 18, 1796.
DAVID PRESCOTT.
MR. FRANK MOORE, a noted antiquary and book-lover of New York, has kindly sent me an old manuscript, of which the following is a copy : -
These may Certifie all whom it may Concern that David Prescott a Soldier in the Second foot Company in The town of Groton in the County of Middlesex has done a Turn in the war by paying to me the Subscriber the sum of Eight pounds (which Sum I rec"! by the hands of his father M! Ebenezer Prescott) and is to be Laid out in providing a man for his majesty's Service this present year agreable to y" act of this Goverment as Witniss my hand the 2! day of apriel A. D. 1759.
ABEL LAWRENCE Cap! of said Company.
David Prescott was the youngest child of Ebenezer and Hannah (Farnsworth) Prescott, and was born on June 28, 1728. He married Abigail Wright ; and they had ten children, of whom two, David, Jr., and Samson, were soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He lived in Groton, near the Westford line, and died on February 9, 1774.
272
REV. JOHN BARNARD.
REV. JOHN BARNARD.
IN the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society is a note-book, kept by the Reverend John Barnard, of Marblehead, which contains a memorandum of all the sermons preached by him through a long life, giving the texts of his various dis- courses and the places and dates of their delivery, as well as the honorarium received for the same. It begins with August 10, 1701, and ends with January 21, 1770. According to the note-book, during his life Mr. Barnard delivered more than six thousand sermons, of which he gives the various texts by a reference to the chapter and verse; and throughout this long period he received for his services more than ten thousand pounds. At divers times he supplied the pulpit of many con- gregations in various parts of the Province, and for some years was a chaplain both in the provincial army and navy. On July 18, 1716, he was settled over the Church of Christ at Marblehead, where he remained until his death on January 24, 1770, in the eighty-ninth year of his age. By his will he gave to Harvard College the sum of two hundred pounds in token of his thankfulness for the education he there received. When President Wadsworth died in the spring of 1717, Mr. Barnard was talked of as his successor to the presidency of that institution.
Mr. Butler, in his History of Groton, while treating of the ecclesiastical affairs of the town immediately following the pastorate of the Reverend Dudley Bradstreet, who was dis- missed in the summer of 1712, says : -
Before settling another minister, after the dismission of Mr. Bradstreet, three persons at least were hired as candidates for set- tlement ; two of whom, Mr. [John] Tufts and Mr. [John] Cotton, received invitations to settle. A Mr. Barnard preached for some time, and he and Mr. Tufts were rival candidates before the town, and Mr. Tufts had the major vote (pages 170, 171).
Mr. Tufts did not accept the invitation, but was settled soon afterward over the church at Newbury. According to entries in the note-book, it was Mr. John Barnard who was
.
273
GROTON NINETY YEARS AGO.
preaching as the other candidate at Groton, where he supplied the pulpit for many Sundays during this period. Usually for his services here he received a pound for each day's preaching, though sometimes the sum was a little less, and once he had a guinea.
For other facts concerning Mr. Barnard, see Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society (second series, XI. 71-74) for June, 1896.
A CORRECTION.
MR. LAWRENCE PARK, of Groton, writes me, under date of February 28, 1892, that there is a slight inaccuracy in the " Memoranda of Stuart James Park and his Ancestors," which appears in the third volume (page 146-151) of the Historical Series. On page 147, in the third line, " William " should read "Thomas." The mistake was made, probably, at the time of dictation.
HARD COAL.
ANTHRACITE COAL for heating a dwelling-house was first used in Groton by Aaron Perkins more than fifty years ago. It was before the year 1845, at which time the Fitchburg Railroad was built through the southern part of the town. According to my recollection, he used it in a grate to warm his keeping-room. It was brought from Boston in one of the Groton baggage-wagons; and, of course, the quantity was small. Mr. Perkins lived on the east side of Hollis Street, near the Brook.
Governor Boutwell, however, informs me that Mr. Woods had previously used hard coal for heating his store.
GROTON NINETY YEARS AGO.
BY the courtesy of Miss Ellen Chase, of Brookline, Massa- chusetts, I am enabled to give the following extract from a private journal which belongs to a family in that town. She writes, under date of July 15, 1895, as follows : --
274
GROTON NINETY YEARS AGO.
DEAR DR. GREEN :
Knowing your interest in the town of Groton I have, with Mrs. Henry F. Dana's kind permission, copied from a manu- script journal in her possession the accompanying references to the place. The Diary was begun August 30, 1804, by Miss Betsey Heath - a daughter of John Heath - when driving to Keene, N. H. In due time it will be printed in the Sagamore, but mean- while you may wish to put the extract on record.
" Left Concord at half past 2, pass'd thro' Acton, a town where nothing appears pleasant except a large pond [Nagog], went on to Littleton, a pleasant country town, call'd on Mrs. Tuttle Stay'd an hour with her and took tea, left there at 5, and rode 6 miles to Groton, the road excellent, the air cool and refreshing, the seting sun shed a mild lustre on the surrounding objects, which heightened the beauty of the scene, and render'd our ride delightful. Groton is a beautiful town, scituated high and airy, the lands round, appear to be highly cultivated, a pleasant street, handsome meeting house, and elegant buildings. We called at Tommas Gardners store [where Mr. Gerrish's store lately stood] just to say how, do, do. And went on half a mile to Richardson's tavern [where the Baptist Meeting-house now stands], where we lodg'd, met with a Dr. Bradford, a young gentleman from Keene, on his way to Boston and a little girl of eleven years, from Walpole going to Scituate, a pure simple child of nature, whom I took for a bed fellow. We found it necessary to remove our bed on to the floor, where we slep't secure and unmolested. Friday a very warm morning, rose at half past 5, proceeded on our journey before breakfast, contrary to Mr Lucas intentions the night before, about a mile from this we past a bridge over a small but beautiful serpentine river [the Nashua], winding softly along thro. a romantic field, with here and there clumps of tall chestnuts on its banks. We rode to Townsend [Harbor ] about 6 miles before breakfast, stop'd at a little settlement round a Stream of water, compos'd of one or two shops, a grist mill and a tavern kept by Keepe. The spot pleasant, but the tavern poor, after sitting in a room, all windows and the sun blazing in upon us, for more than an hour, our breakfast was brought in, which consisted of boiled lamb, potatoes, Coffee, sour milk, and bread, soft butter, cheese, eggs, cucumbers, pickles of all kinds and cyder, after this repast we rode about three miles to the first turnpike gate 20' pr [?] gate, here the scene began to change
1
275
TWO THOROUGHFARES TO BOSTON.
and nature to wear a different aspect, all was new, and I had noth- ing to do but gaze and wonder. I saw for the first time, fields of burning stumps, dead standing trees, and smoaking forests."
TWO THOROUGHFARES TO BOSTON.
IN former times there were two main thoroughfares be- tween Groton and Boston : one of them, starting from the Ridges, passed through Littleton, Acton, Concord, Lincoln, and Lexington, and so on to Boston ; while the other, also starting from the Ridges, passed through Westford, Carlisle, Bedford, and Lexington, where it met the first road, and thence on to Boston by a common way. A large share of the travel between certain parts of New Hampshire and Vermont and Boston took one or the other of these highways, ' and the incidental business was an item of much importance to the traders and tavern-keepers along the road. Seventy- five years ago there was great rivalry among interested persons to obtain the travel and teaming on their respective thoroughfares, and the trade of store and tavern was jealously watched and carefully guarded. In 1823 a sign-board was set up in the crotch of the roads at the Ridges, saying that the way through Concord to Lexington was two miles further than the one through Carlisle; and soon afterward a counter- statement was made by the other side. I have been told that, when Mr. Gerrish's store was dismantled in the summer of 1885, before its removal to another site, this old sign-board was found there; but I have never yet been able to verify the statement.
The following extract from the " Concord Gazette & Middle- sex Yeoman," February 21, 1824, seems now to give a fair and impartial version of the controversy : -
We insert below the statement of the Committee appointed to measure the roads from Groton to Lexington. It is a subject, we are aware, on which the respective parties concerned feel pretty deeply. If any objections should be offered, written in a becoming style, and calculated to affect the accuracy of the subjoined state- ment, we shall give them publicity without hesitation.
276
TWO THOROUGHIFARES TO BOSTON.
PUBLIC ROADS TO BOSTON.
The subscribers having been appointed, at a meeting of several of the citizens of this and the neighboring towns, as a Committee to procure a measurement of the two roads from the ridges in Groton to Lexington, they now, by special desire, publish the following result of their proceedings.
The roads in question run, one through Westford, Carlisle, Bed- ford to Lexington ; the other through Littleton, Acton, CONCORD, Lincoln to Lexington. The guide-board near the Groton ridges, where the roads divide, states the road through this town to be more than two miles longer than the other, and has had a tendency, it is believed, to mislead travellers by this inaccuracy. For it calls the difference nearly three times as great as it really is. The public have a right to know the truth of the matter, and will then exercise their discretion in choice of roads to travel.
To obtain authentic knowledge on the subject, the subscribers have employed a sworn surveyor, Capt. HUBBARD, and sworn Chainmen to measure the two roads, beginning at Loring's Inn, near Groton ridges, where the two roads divide and going by both routes to Lexington where they again unite. The following is the result of this measurement.
Road through Concord.
mls. rods. links.
From the forks of the road in )
Lexington to E. Robbins'
0
077
00
Robbins' to Viles's
I
261
08
Viles's to Patch's
2
034
18
Patch's to Thompson's in Concord,
2
098
05
Thompson's to Bigelow's, in do.
O
057
00
Bigelow's to Wetherbee's
3
107
12
Wetherbee's to Stearns's
I 139
24
Stearn's to White's
I 223
18
White's to Proctor's
0
252
10
Proctor's to Nye's
2
052
08
Nye's to Loring's [the Ridges]
3
168
-
Miles
19 192 04
277
TWO THOROUGHIFARES TO BOSTON.
Road through Carlisle.
mls. rods. links.
Loring's in Groton to Hartwell's
4 089
21
Hartwell's to Dupee's
3
III
24
Dupee's to Nickles'
2
190
Nickles' to Porter's
4
088
to
Porter's to Simond's
2
281
16
Simonds to the forks
I
153
18
Miles
18
275
09
mls.
rods.
links.
Through Concord
19
192
04
Through Carlisle
18
275
09
Difference
236
20
From the preceding statement it will be seen that the road from Loring's tavern to Lexington through Concord is 236 rods and a fraction longer than that through Carlisle ; this difference however is less than three quarters of a mile.
There are eleven public houses on the road through Concord; and six public houses on the road through Carlisle.
This measurement of the Carlisle road agrees, within a very few rods, with the measurement of that road by CALEB BUTLER, Esq. of Groton. If this gentleman had also measured the road through Concord the public would have had a correct statement of the dis- tances. But unfortunately the gentleman, who about that time measured the road through this town, apparently did it with very little accuracy. In one place, namely, from Thompson's tavern in this town to Bigelow's, the short space of fifty-seven rods, he made a mistake of sixteen rods ; we therefore place little confidence in his measurement of any part of the route. It should be observed that one public house in this town, viz. Mr. ALEXANDER's within a few rods of Mr. Bigelow's was accidentally not mentioned in this measurement of roads.
JOSIAH DAVIS. PHINEAS HOWE. EBENEZER THOMPSON. STEPHEN PATCH. DANIEL SHATTUCK.
278
REV. CORTLAND U [W]. SHATTUCK.
HON. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL.
AT the present time only four Ex-Governors of this Commonwealth are living, and of these Mr. Boutwell is the senior in the date of election, and moreover the youngest person ever chosen to that high office. He was born at Brookline, Massachusetts, on January 28, 1818, and at the time of his election was under thirty-three years of age.
It is somewhat singular that there have been six other Governors of Massachusetts born in the same year as Mr. Boutwell; and they are as follows : -
William Claflin, born at Milford, on March 6.
John Albion Andrew, born at Windham, Maine, on May 31. Henry Joseph Gardner, born at Dorchester, on June 14. Alexander Hamilton Rice, born at Newton, on August 30.
Thomas. Talbot, born at Cambridge, New York, on September 7; and
Benjamin Franklin Butler, born at Deerfield, New Hampshire, on November 5.
All these men, with the exception of Mr. Claflin, are now dead. Between 1851 and 1883 inclusive, a period of thirty- three years, the administrations of these several Governors covered an interval of eighteen years.
REV. CORTLAND U [W]. SHATTUCK.
Died in Groton, Oct. 13th, 1847, Rev. Cortland U [W]. Shattuck, 30. The subject of this notice was a native of the town in which his last prayers were offered, and in which his soul was surrendered to the keeping of his Redeemer. Early in life his attention was called to the paramount importance of spiritual and eternal things ; and with deep contrition for sin, he was led to cast himself upon the mercy of God in Christ as the only source of hope to his soul. In due time the conviction was forced upon him that he owed it to his Redeemer and to his fellowmen to consecrate himself to the work of the ministry. The purpose to do this having been formed, he entered upon a course of preparatory study, which was pursued with the earnestness of an active mind, and the ardor of a devoted heart. Hle was graduated at Dartmouth College and at Andover
279
MRS. BETSEY SPALTER.
Theological Seminary. On leaving the Seminary, early in the autumn of 1846 he was invited to take charge of an enterprise then commencing in Charlestown, on or near Bunker Hill. He entered upon his work in this field with characteristic zeal and devotion ; and in connection with his labors, the " Bethesda Church" was soon organized. To the pastorship of this church he received an unanimous call. It had now become apparent however to himself and his friends, that the vigor of his constitution was fast yielding to the power of disease ; and he was constrained to decline the call of the church ; and to cease the performance of the duties of the ministry. Thenceforward his health slowly declined, until at last he sweetly and calmly fell asleep in Jesus.
As a preacher he was earnest, affectionate and effective. His labors in the pulpit were cut short in their very commencement, but they were continued long enough to accomplish something for Christ ; and to give assurance that had his life been spared it would have been one of increasing value to the church and to the Saviour.
As a man he was distinguished for the natural affability of his manners, and for the unvarying kindness and ingenuousness of his feelings. He was so distinguished in these respects that he could not fail to endear himself to all who were favored with an opportu- nity of making his acquaintance.
As a christian, he was surpassed by few in unflinching conscien- ciousness ; in earnestness of devotion to the Master's service ; and in humble fear of God. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright : for the end of that man is peace."
"The Boston Recorder," January 28, 1848.
MRS. BETSEY SPALTER.
Died in Groton, May 10th, Mrs. Betsey Spalter, aged 76.
Mrs. S. was eminently a mother in Israel, who cordially and ardently loved the truth as it is in Jesus, firmly believed and per- severingly obeyed. For many years she was a professed disciple of Christ, and humility, patience, and a spirit of fervent devotion characterized her. She shed by her christian meekness and bene- ficence of disposition a halo of heavenly virtnes which were dearly prized by all who had the happiness of knowing her. Of her it can truly be said
" None knew her but to love her,
None named her but to praise."
280
MRS. BETSEY SPALTER.
She was faithful in all her relations, as a wife, kind, and a pat- tern for all, as a mother devotedly affectionate, as a friend sincere, unchanging and most happy in sacrificing for their good, (and very many can testify to her inestimable worth) and as a christian, con- sistent and exemplary. She was richly sustained through all the vicissitudes of her life by Divine grace, and the constant tenor of her life was such, that she was prepared to meet her summons home, with a good and well-tried hope, ever reposing a firm, unshaken trust, in her Redeemer. "I know that my Redeemer liveth," &c. Job 19: 25, 26, 27, texts of Scripture she often re- peated, and although she suffered intensely for a long time, yet her mind was steadfast in its faith, cheerful and peaceful in her bright- ening hopes, bearing all her sufferings with great fortitude, christian patience and resignation, and as their severity increased, she felt that her earthly tabernacle would soon be dissolved and contem- plated with increased pleasure, her "house not made with hands eternal and in the heavens." Said she, I feel the arms of my Savior upholding me,
" While on his breast I lean my head, And breathe my life out sweetly there."
Said she, in answer to the question, Is your prospect bright and glorious? Yes, with a holy irradiating smile, " all is peace, all is peace," and indeed her end was peace - such peace as is promised only to the righteous. She died in the triumphs of faith, in full as- surance of that " Blessed hope," saying, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, and sweetly fell asleep in Jesus. For her, death had no sting, the grave no terrors. For her to die was gain. Thus has one gone to receive her " Crown of Life," who obtained a strong hold upon the affections of a large circle of friends who feel that their loss is irreparable. It was a privilege to be with her, in all her sickness and to witness her departure from this world, to see her breathe her last and sink away into death's embrace. Her sun went down without a cloud and with calmness closed her very useful life. Her children will ever remember her importunate prayers and her piety which was flowing, like a stream. May her mantle fall upon them and enable them to say : --
"A Father's hand hath dealt the blow Why should I murmur, when I know
"Iwas sent in his paternal love, To fix my heart, on scenes above."
" The Boston Recorder," June 9, 1848
281
JOHN M. L. BABCOCK.
THE WESTERN SOCIETY OF MIDDLESEX HUSBANDMEN.
IN the first volume (Number V.) of the Historical Series is a brief account of The Western Society of Middlesex Husbandmen, which used to meet, annually, in rotation at Westford, Littleton, and Groton. In that article it is said that probably the organization had ceased to exist. Within a short period I have learned that, by Act of the Legislature, on January 24, 1820, the name was changed to " The Society of Middlesex Husbandmen and Manufacturers"; and, by Act of the Legislature, on March 8, 1852, again changed to "The Middlesex Agricultural Society." Through these changes in the name the continuity of its history had become somewhat broken in the popular mind. This was the society which met for so many years, even in recent times, at Concord. The days of its usefulness, however, now have gone by, and the annual meetings are no longer held. On the part of the public there is but little demand for cattle shows or agricultural exhibitions; and it is not thought that its life will be again resuscitated. The association was the oldest Agricultural Society in the State, and in its season of prosperity exerted a wide influence among the farmers of Middlesex County.
JOHN M. L. BABCOCK.
THE REVEREND JOHN MARTIN LUTHER BABCOCK, who was the settled minister over the First Parish church in Groton from the year 1871 to 1874, met with a shocking death in Boston, on the early morning of Tuesday, April 3, 1894. He was living in the upper story of a house, No. 5 Dover Street, when a fire broke out in the same building on the floor below, and burned to the roof before an alarm was given. For a few moments great confusion followed, and several narrow escapes were made on the part of the lodgers. When it was discovered that Mr. Babcock had not been rescued, the firemen fought their way up the staircase, and bravely attempted to save him. They found his body dread-
282
JOIIN M. L. BABCOCK.
fully burned, lying on the third floor; and it is supposed that in trying to escape he had been suffocated by the smoke. His funeral took place on Friday, April 6, at the Parker Memorial Hall, where the services were conducted by the Reverend James Kay Applebee, who delivered a eulogy on the life and character of his old friend. The remains were taken to Wilmot, New Hampshire, for burial.
In early life Mr. Babcock learned the trade of a printer; and later he studied theology, and became a minister of the Free-Will Baptist denomination, and afterward of the Unita- rian. His settlement at Groton was the last one he had. Naturally of a radical turn of mind, he leaned toward the extreme wing of his church, and finally became too liberal to occupy the pulpit, - as he himself used to say.
In 1875 he founded " The New Age," a newspaper devoted to the interests of labor and social reform, which was kept up for two years. In 1886 he published a novel entitled " The Dawning," which dwells on social and economical problems. Not only was it the product of his own brains, but the pages were set up by his own hands.
In 1894 there was published an " Autobiography of John Martin Luther Babcock together with a Discourse delivered at the Funeral, and Addresses given at the Memorial Service" (pages 82). This fragment of autobiography was written only a short time before his death, but unfortunately does not come down to the period of his settlement at Groton, when he certainly would have given a free expression of his views in regard to men and things.
An address by James Sumner at a memorial service to Mr. Babcock, held in Investigator Hall, Boston, on Sunday after- noon, April 22, 1894, is printed.
For a notice of Mr. Babcock, see the first volume (Number XVIII., pages 9-13) of the Historical Series.
The Reverend Crawford Nightingale, one of Mr. Babcock's predecessors at Groton, also met with a violent death, being run over by a cable car in his native city of Providence, on August 19, 1892. See the third volume (pages 415-418) of the Historical Series, for a notice of Mr. Nightingale,
283
JUDGE SEWALL'S DIARY.
THE SHAYS REBELLION.
IN the first volume (No. III. page 14) of the Historical Series, reference is made to a work entitled " The Insurgents : An Historical Novel" in two volumes, which was published anonymously in the year 1835 at Philadelphia. It is based on Shays's Rebellion, and the scene is laid mainly in the Con- necticut Valley ; and in the second volume is given an account of Job Shattuck's capture. In the same volume (No. XIX. page 24) of the Historical Series is another allusion to the novel, where the authorship is ascribed to Ralph Ingersoll Lockwood, a lawyer of New York. Within a short time, through the courtesy of John Woolf Jordan, Esq., editor of " The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography " (Philadelphia), I have learned a few facts concerning the author. He writes me as follows : -
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