USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections, Vol. I > Part 21
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245
OXFORD.
HENRY WOLCOTT,
the eldest surviving son of the preceding, married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Newberg. He resided in Windsor, where he followed the occupation of a merchant, and was intrusted with many publie offices.
JOSIAH WOLCOTT,
the youngest son of the preceding, Henry and Sarah New- berg Wolcott, received a classical education, and was a mer- chant, for a time, at Windsor, but removed to Salem, Massa- chusetts, and was honored with several public offices, and was judge of the Court of Common Pleas at time of his decease, in 1729.
His second wife was Mary, daughter of John Freke, a merchant in Boston. His lady received from her grand- father, Thomas Freke, of England, a large landed estate ; in the deed recorded at Boston, 2,000 acres are described as being at a place called "Qunecuslitt " (Thompson) in the Nipmuck country ; also another parcel of land in the town- ship of New Oxford, in the Nipmuck country, and both in the county of Suffolk.
JOHN WOLCOTT,
the youngest and only surviving son of the preceding, Josiah and Mary Freke Wolcott, graduated at Harvard college in the year 1721, and represented Salem in the General Court. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Peter Papillion, of Boston, and afterwards occupied the position of high sheriff of Essex county. He died in the year 1747. He was the owner of a wharf and other real estate in Boston.
246
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
JOSIAH WOLCOTT,
the second and only surviving son of the preceding, John and Elizabeth Papillion Wolcott, married Isabella, daughter of Rev. John Campbell, first minister of Oxford. She was born, July 26, 1728, and died June 27, 1786. He settled at Ox- ford, on the estate bequeathed to him by his grandmother, and in right of his mother in the Papillion estate, and a very large estate in land in this town. He was born, April 16, 1733, and died, December 9, 1796. By this marriage he had eleven children.
Two years before his death he married, for his second wife, widow Naomi Jennison, of Douglas, relict of Samnel Jennison ; she was a native of St. Thomas, of the West Indies, and survived her husband many years, and deceased, in 1848, at a great age.
The following is a copy of a paper in his handwriting :
" Josiah Wolcott, with his children, desires to give thanks to God, in this church and congregation, for God's great goodness to him, al- though he has been shaking him over ye gates of ye grave by sore sick- ness. But blessed be God that He has granted him a reprieve, and has raised him to such a measure of health that he is able to wait upon God. with his people, in this house of prayer, and again to worship Him in the beauty of holiness."
Among the items of the inventory of his personal estate were several valuable paintings and pieces of marble work, and two large oil-painted likenesses, nicely framed in gilt, said to have been likenesses of a gentleman and lady and child, and were brought from England ; probably portraits of some of the Freke family.
His papers and these works of art are not in the posses- sion of descendants of this family ; the former, probably, destroyed ; and where the latter are, if in existence, is not known.
247
OXFORD.
LAWYERS.
OXFORD.
Samuel Jennison, gradnate of Harvard university, 1774.
Erasmus Babbitt,
66
1775.
Ira Moore Barton, 66 66
66 1819.
Sumner Bastow,
Brown
1802.
Peter C. Bacon, 66 66 66 1827.
Charles G. Prentice, afterwards register of probate.
Charles Bowman.
SUMNER BASTOW.
Mr. Bastow was a native of Uxbridge. He was a graduate of Brown university in 1802. For some time after he left college he was engaged in mercantile business, but he after- wards read law with Estees Howe, Esq., of Sutton, and was admitted to the bar at Worcester, in March, 1811. He opened a law office in West Sutton, where he continued, hav- ing a profitable business, till 1823, when he received the ap- pointment of cashier of the Oxford bank, and removed there, and entered upon the discharge of the duties of that office, which he performed with great exactness and fidelity the re- mainder of his life.
His law profession was, during this latter period, in a great measure abandoned. In 1824 he was a candidate for repre- sentative to Congress, as a competitor against Jonas Sibley and John Davis, when the latter candidate succeeded to the office.
He died at Oxford, December 29, 1845, at the age of sixty-seven.
SAMUEL JENNISON.
He was the son of Dr. Jennison, of Brookfield. Graduated at Harvard university, in 1774. Little is known of him as a lawyer at this time. He was the father of Mr. Samnel Jenni- son, for a long time cashier of the Worcester Bank.
248
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
ERASMUS BABBITT.
He seems to have been somewhat unstable in his place of habitation. It appears, at times he resided and practiced his profession in different places ; at Oxford, Westborough, Graf- ton, Charlton, and the Poll Parish, now Southbridge. Grad- uated at Harvard university in 1790. He was the son of the celebrated Dr. Thomas Babbitt, of Brookfield, and brother of Dr. Thomas Babbitt, of Sturbridge. He was a captain in the army, under Colonel Nathan Rice, stationed at Oxford in the fall and winter of 1798-'99 (Colonel Rice being a native of Sturbridge, and son of Rev. Caleb Rice). He possessed a remarkable memory, but convivial and social habits in too great a degree to accomplish much as a business man.
As a singer of popular songs, he was remarkable. It has been said of him that he could begin at sunrise and continue to sing different songs, without intermission, till sundown. Whether such be the fact, it would be difficult to prove; but there is no doubt of the fact that, as a singer of songs, his memory and vocal powers were very great.
He was the grandfather of the celebrated Charlotte Cush- man, her mother's maiden name being Mary Eliza Babbitt. It is reported that he died in service during the British war with the United States, 1812 to 1815.
HON. IRA MOORE BARTON.
Judge Barton, in writing of himself to Joseph Willard, Esq., giving an account of the lawyers who had practiced in the town of Oxford, where he then resided (the object being to enable Mr. Willard to prepare the address he delivered before the bar of Worcester county, October 2, 1829), states:
"As for myself, I was born in Oxford, Massachusetts, October 25, A. D., 1796; was graduated at Brown university in 1819 ; studied law with
THE R
15
Ny RARY
249
OXFORD.
General. Bridgham in Providence, Governor Lincoln in Worcester, Sum- ner Bastow, Esq., in Sutton, and was something more than eighteen months at the Law school connected with Harvard university, where I received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1822. I was admitted as an attorney at the Common Pleas, at the September term, 1822; have passed through the several grades of professional dignity up to that of counsellor of the Supreme Court ; and am now, what I have been for years past, a practitioner of law in the town of Oxford.
" Date, September 10, 1829."
He represented the town in the State Legislature for the years 1830, 1831, and 1832; a State senator in 1833 and 1834, and, in this latter year, was appointed one of the com- missioners for revising the statutes. The same year he re- moved to Worcester. In 1836 was appointed by Governor Everett to succeed Hon. Nathaniel Paine, as judge of probate, and held that office eight years, when he resigned, and re- sumed the practice of law. He was chosen a presidential elector in 1840. He became a member of the Antiquarian society in 1841. In 1849 he retired from a general attend- ance upon the courts, but continued to give counsel, "in chambers," at his own house, till 1861. He died on the 18th of July, 1867.
" In every station he was placed, in public or private, he was distinguished for ability, sterling integrity, and earnest devotion to the fullest performance of every duty."
" He was always a careful and judicious adviser, and was equally able and successful as an advocate, possessing, in a high degree, practical wisdom and sagacity. He was a poli- tician only in the sense of a desire to participate in public affairs to be useful. Hence he inspired confidence in his in- tegrity and sincerity of purpose, whatever might be the political policy which he supported. He was always an earnest supporter of measures for general education and the improvement of morals. In the Legislature he was an able debater and an efficient worker on committees."
17
250
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
Besides his duties in his profession, and in political matters, he found much time to gratify his taste for literature, and genealogical and antiquarian researches. His large knowl- edge of subjects generally, and his ability as a writer, called his talents often into requisition for the delivery of orations and public addresses ; while he was often a contributor to newspapers and periodicals, elucidating various subjects and questions with singular ability.
In 1846 he visited Europe; and was a member of the New York and Wisconsin Historical societies.
HON. ALEXANDER DE WITT.
Alexander De Witt was born in New Braintree, Worcester county, Massachusetts, April 2, 1798, being one of a family of nine children. His parents were in low circumstances, not able to afford him the ordinary advantages of a common school education. The first fourteen years of his life were spent with his parents, his time being engaged in service upon farms and sundry jobs for the benefit of the family. But while he had not the advantages of schools for education, he never lost an opportunity for improvement, mentally or socially. He always sought the company of his superiors in point of education and general intelligence, and always with the end in view to his advancement to the position of a gen- tleman and equal of the best, in whatever society chance might place him. Possessing ample powers of discrimination, he has been able to reduce to his advantage whatever the time and circumstances could command, wherever he was placed. This is the key to his snccess. He is emphatically what is usually termed " a self-made man "-an honorable example to all yonth, showing what perseverance and a determination to rise in the sphere of manhood may accomplish by personal effort, and without any of the advantages of family or exterior resources. Self-reliance has been his motto; and from this
251
OXFORD.
resonree he has arisen to whatever position he has sustained, in either public or private life. At the age of fifteen he engaged his services with the Merino Manufacturing Company in Dudley, then carrying on the manufacture of wool, in con- nection with the usual business of a country variety store. He remained in this employ four years ; being active and apt in adapting his services to whatever branch of their busi- ness he had in charge, he was available for any contingency, and was frequently sent abroad (although but a youth, but manly in appearance and deportment), for the sale of their mannfactures, and sometimes extended his travels through the Southern States.
This service was a valuable school for general knowledge, that enabled him to profit by it in after years.
In the year 1818 he went to Franklin, Massachusetts, and there was engaged in a manufactory of cotton, as an account- ant ; and the following year formed a connection with Dr. Nathaniel Miller, of that town, for one year, for the purpose of making cotton thread. They had two frames of sixty-four spindles each. The following year he leased a larger mill at Foxborough, for the manufacture of the same goods, and at the same time opened a country store. When his goods were ready for market, he took them in a wagon, with the necessary provisions for boarding himself and horse, and started upon a peddling expedition ; and, although at first his pride was somewhat too much above his business to make it profitable, yet he soon yielded to its necessity, finding-what many a young man has failed to yield to, and thus not been able to succeed in his pursuits-the importance of plaeing him- self on a level with his business. With this point established, no opportunity passed by without claiming his prompt atten- tion and best efforts for disposing of his goods, whether for cash or exchange for other products, and in this manner he accomplished success. His goods were brought to the notice
252
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
of the public, and soon a demand was created that was amply sufficient to dispose of all the goods his mill could produce, at a satisfactory profit.
On the 5th of June, 1820, he married Mary, the daughter of William Makepeace, Esq., of Franklin, who is still living, and to whose sonnd judgment and faithfulness in the discharge of all duties relating to their domestic affairs he attributes much of his success in life.
His father-in-law erected a factory, and united with him, and continued the manufacture of thread successfully till 1823. Mr. De Witt removed to Oxford, and, in connection with his three brothers, built the thread-mill that has been described in another place in this work, which business these brothers carried on successfully nearly twenty years.
Colonel Alexander De Witt was largely identified with both the woolen and the cotton business at Oxford and other places many years, and in the several erises that the manli- facture of wool and cotton has passed through, that proved disastrous to many engaged in this pursuit, his management has been such, that, under all circumstances, he has not failed to meet every obligation with promptness and entire fidelity to his contracts.
In 1830 he was elected by the town of Oxford as a Demo- cratic representative to the General Court, and was continued in that office six years ; but in the years 1833 and 1834 he opposed the measures of the General Government in the re- moval of the deposits from the United States Bank, in that it was a violation of contract-an agreement having been made to continue the deposits in that institution a stated period, and which period had not expired. This severed his connection with the Democratic party.
In 1837 he removed to Boston, and engaged in the domes- tie cotton and woolen goods business on commission, where he remained three years, and then returned to Oxford, and
253
OXFORD.
soon again engaged in the cotton manufacture, which, at this time, was a profitable business. In 1842, 1844, 1850, and 1851, was elected a senator to the Massachusetts Legislature. In 1853 and 1856 was a member of conventions held for amending the constitution of the State. He represented Worcester, South District, in Congress, in the years 1856 and 1857.
For many years he has been engaged in railroad improve- ments, banks, insurance companies, and other corporations, either as president or director ; twenty-six years director in the Merchants' and Farmers' Insurance Company ; twenty- seven years in the State Mutual Life Insurance Company ; twenty years connected with the Mechanics' Savings-Bank, as president and trustee ; twenty-one years connected with the Mechanics' Bank, Worcester, nine years as president and twelve years as director ; twenty-one years connected with the Oxford Bank, five years as its president ; twenty-five years connected with the Worcester and Nashua Railroad, three years as president ; seventeen years director of the Providence and Worcester Railroad ; twenty five years director in the Norwich and Worcester Railroad.
His time has, for many years, been largely engaged in publie business, and managing corporate property. In what- ever station of life he has been called upon to act, he has discharged his duties and trusts with strict integrity and fidelity.
Personally he may be described as large, and of command- ing appearance, florid complexion, possessing a cheerful, open countenance, naturally social, and at times inclined to be frolicsome ; is frank and open in giving expression to his sentiments; generously and benevolently disposed, often con- tributing his means to moral and religious objects, and ex- tending aid to those less fortunate than himself.
254
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
LEARNED FAMILY.
The names Ebenezer and Isaac Learned are found with the original English settlers who founded the town of Oxford in 1713. They were the ancestors of all of that name in the sonth district of Worcester county.
This Ebenezer died in 1780. He was colonel of the mi- litia ; came from Framingham ; his children were Ebenezer, afterward General Learned, in the Revolutionary war; Jere- mialı, a captain of militia, and four daughters ; Abigail, who married Edward Davis, Esq., of Oxford ; Dolly, who married Captain Elijah Moore, of Oxford ; Ruth, who married Cap- tain Samnel Davis, of Oxford; Comfort, who married Mr. Moore, of Worcester. General Ebenezer Learned married a Miss Baker, owned what is known as the Silas Turner place. and removed to the present Abisha Learned place. Was a colonel in the French war, and a brigadier in the war of the Revolution, and was at the capture of General Burgoyne. They had five sons and two daughters; Ebenezer, who died young ; Haynes, who married a daughter of Edward Davis ; he was a mill-wright, and moved to Georgia ; Sylvanus be- came colonel, and married another daughter of Edward Davis (Patty); she died, and he married the widow of his brother Rufus ; one of the best business men in the town ; he served during seven years as a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and engaged in the "Shays Rebellion," to put it down, as adjutant. He was afterwards colonel in the militia.
David Learned married Miss Hurd, daughter of Deacon Hurd, sister of the present Deacon Hurd, of this town ; moved to Maine; was justice of the peace and sheriff of the county of Oxford ; he and his father were heavy land- holders there, and gave the name Oxford to that county. Rufus, the youngest son, married Polly Humphrey. Dolly,
255
OXFORD.
the eldest daughter, married a Mr. Hill, and lived in the south part of Oxford. Deborah married a Robinson ; he was in the war of the Revolution, and died, leaving one child ; his widow then married Ebenezer Bray.
Captain Jeremiah Learned married Elizabeth Hunt, of Littleton, for his first wife ; widow Mary Green, of Thomp- son, for his second ; Dolly Barton (daughter of Dr. Stephen Barton) for his third wife; and a fourth wife, the widow of Dr. Weaver. He served in the French war as ensign, lieutenant, and captain ; was at Ticonderoga and Lake George. In the Revolution he was regarded as a Tory. He was a true Whig after the war, much respected, and represented the town twelve years in the Legislature. He died, June, 1812, aged seventy-nine.
By his first wife, Elizabeth Hunt, he had six children : Jeremiah, a physician, died young ; Benjamin married Lydia Pitts, settled in Oxford, and died at the age of fifty-two ; Jonathan married a Miss Campbell ; died, aged forty-two ; Betsy married Dr. Drewry, of Spencer ; Patty died young; Polly married Captain Joseph Atwood, removed to Taun- ton, and died there, leaving two children. He had no chil- dren by widow Green. By his third wife, Miss Barton, he had four children. Jeremiah married Susan Stockwell, died at thirty-five years, and had four children. Eben- ezer, son of Jeremiah, married Naomi Shumway, grand- daughter of Josiah Wolcott ; died at thirty-two years, leav- ing no children; Stephen, the third son, died at the age of twenty-three, much lamented ; Polly, the fourth child of Mrs. Barton Learned, married Joseph Stone, and had three children ; she died at the early age of twenty-one years.
The foregoing is by Captain Stephen Barton. Many dates are wanting.
The most noted families of Oxford have been : Learned, Davis, Moore, Barton, Campbell, Wolcott, and Town. More
256
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
recently, Olney, De Witt, Hodges, Underwood, Harwood, and others.
The Shumways, Sigourneys, and Ammidowns were of Huguenot descent-the two first of the French plantation; the latter came with the English colony, and was of an earlier class of French exiles, of the number of French Prot- estants that fled from France during the siege of Rochelle by Cardinal Richelien in 1628, and came to New England with Captain John Endicot, to begin the colony of Massachu- setts Bay.
LIB
STOR
RY
Jam J.B. mars.
WOODSTOCK.
SECTION III.
CHAPTER I.
THIS ancient town was located in what was known at that time as the " Nipmuck Country." The native occupants were nearly all destroyed by the King Philip war, and had mostly disappeared from their former homes, clustering in small cabin villages through the interior of Massachusetts. This grant, when made, was supposed to be within the limits of that colony. These village homes were also destroyed, and nearly all that remained of them or their former occupants was that which was incorporated with the dust of the soil which they once tilled, or roamed over as their hunting-field. They now are only known by history.
" Ask ye for hamlets, peopled bound, With cone-roof'd cabins circled round ? For chieftains proud-for hoary sire, Or warrior, terrible in ire?"
" Ye've seen the shadows quit the vale- The foam upon the water fail- The fleeting vapor leave no trace, Such was their path, that faded race !"
The first meeting of the people of Roxbury (as their records show) to consult upon the subject of a grant of land for a town in this country, was on the 6th of October, 1683. Their object,
18
258
WOODSTOCK.
as stated, was to inerease the pasturage for their cattle, and to improve their condition and usefulness to the colony.
These reasons are quite similar to one of those given by the first planters, who went out from Massachusetts in 1635 to found the colony of Connecticut, as related in another place : " the want of accommodation for their cattle, so as they were not able to maintain their ministers, nor could receive any more of their friends to help them."
And it is presumed that the fathers of Woodstock, the parishioners of the Apostle Eliot, knew by him very well, the desirableness of these interior lands, which their venerable minister had but recently often traveled over on his pious, mission to the natives then residing here, to hold forth to them the blessings of the Gospel, and were actuated by reasons similar to the second one given by the founders of Connec- tient-" the fruitfulness and commodiousness of the country." It is not, however, the design here to make invidions criticisms upon the character of these hardy, industrious, and frugal pioneers-the founders of Woodstock, nor to screen their faults, but rather to state facts, let their bearing be what they may.
Their second meeting was on the 10th following, and the third on the 17th instant, when the form of a petition was agreed upon, offered for signatures, and signed by the fol- lowing names :
John Chandler,
James Corbin,
Edward Morris,
William Lyon, John Chandler, Jr., Samuel Craft,
Jonathan Davis, John Frissell, Joseph Frissell,
Nathaniel Wilson,
Samuel Peacock,
Thomas Lyon,
James Barrett,
Thomas Bacon, John Marcy,
John Mayo, Benjamin Griggs, George Griggs,
Peter Aspinwall.
Jonathan Peak,
Henry Bowen, John Levens, Samnel Scarborough. John Hubbard,
Ebenezer Morris, Nathan Gary, John Bugbee,
Arthur Humphrey,
Jonathan Smithers. John Ruggles, Samuel May,
John Bowen, Nathaniel Johnson,
John Butcher.
Nathan Sawyer,
Benjamin Sabin,
259
WOODSTOCK.
This petition was presented to the General Court by the selectmen of Roxbury, and received action upon it by that body, as follows :
" At a General Court held at Boston, November 2, 1683, in answer to the petition of William Parker, John Bowles, Joseph Griggs, John Rug- gles, and Edward Morris, selectmen of Roxbury, and in their behalf, dated, 'October 10 and 17, 1683,' for a tract of land for a village, to be laid out about Quantisset, to the quantity of seven miles square; the court grants their request, provided that the grant to Major Thompson, Mr. Stoughton, Mr. Dudley and Company have the first choice before the tenth of June next, and provided thirty families be settled on said plantation within three years of that time, and maintain amongst them an able, orthodox, godly minister.
" Attest,
"EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary."
This grant to the selectmen of Roxbury for the town of Woodstock, which for several years was known as New Rox- bury, was a part of the tract of land conveyed by deed by these Indians, dated, "February 10, 1681," to William Stough- ton and Joseph Dudley, as agents of Massachusetts, referred to in the history of Oxford. It included in its limits mostly three of the Indian villages which Captain Daniel Gookin gives an account of, in relating the incidents of the journey he made with Rev. John Eliot to this country :
"This year again, on the 14th of September, 1674, we both took another journey, Our design was to travel further among them, and to confirm their souls in the Christian religion, and to settle teachers in every town, and to establish civil government among them, as in the other praying.towns."
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