USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 75
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 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
" We have said the settlers, in 1721, invited the Rev. Joseph Willard to settle with them, which invitation he accepted. This Mr. Willard had been ordained a minister of Sunderland, in the county of Hampshire, but continued a very little time with them before he was dismissed. After he had accepted the invitation to settle with the people of Rutland, he met with many and great discouragements, and particularly by reason of the fears and dangers arising from the Indians ; sothat an appointment of his instal- lation was deferred. However, at length a duy was fixed upon for his solemn separa- tion to the work of the ministry in that place, in the fall of the year 1723, bin he lived not to see the day, being cut off by the enemy, as shall be now related As Deacon Joseph Stevens and four of his sons were making hay in a meadow, at Rutland, a little north of the place where the meeting-house now stands, August 14th, 1723, they were
76
602
SHREWSBURY.
surprised by five Indians. The father escaped in the bushes; two of his sons were then and there slain ; the other two, (Phineas the eldest, and Isaac the youngest, ) were made prisoners. Two of the five Indians waylaid a Mr. Davis and son, who that after- noon were making hay in a meadow not far off, but, weary of waiting, they were return- ing to the others, and met Mr. Willard in their way, who was armed. One of the Indians' guns missed fire, the others did no execution. Mr. Willard returned the fire, and wounded one of them, it is said mortally ; the other closed in with Mr. Willard, but he would have been more than a match for him, had not the other three come to his assistance ; and it was some considerable time before they killed Mr. Willard. This account Phineas Stevens gave upon his return from captivity, who was a spectator of some part of the tragedy. The Indians having killed and scalped Mr. Willard, and taken some of his clothes, went off to Canada, with the two captives above named. They were redeemed in about a year. Phineas Stevens was a famous warrior, a cap- tain, and a principal man in building up and defending the then young plantation No. 4, now Charlestown, in New Hampshire state. Isaac Stevens lived at Rutland. They have both been dead many years. On the 3d of August, 1724, the Indians came again upon Rutland, killed three persons, wounded one, and made another prisoner. This is as I find it related in Governor Hutchinson's history. Others speak of but two killed ; but the names of the killed, wounded, or prisoner, cannot now be ascertained. This was the last mischief done at Rutland by the Indians, so far as we can learn."
SHREWSBURY.
THIS township was granted to certain persons in 1717, most of whom belonged to Marlborough, and was originally larger than at present. It began to be settled the same year by a few people from Marlborough; but the settlement did not progress as rapidly as some other towns in its vicinity. Indeed, at that time people, not deem- ing it a good tract of land, passed through and took up their resi- dence elsewhere. Such progress was, however, made, in the course of ten years, that application was made to the general court to be invested with full town privileges. This petition was granted, and the town incorporated in 1727. The town originally included most of what is now Boylston, most of West Boylston, and a portion of Sterling, Westborough, and Grafton. It is a remarkable fact that the name of Indian, as is stated, does not occur on the records of the town. They had, some years before, retired to a distance too great to alarm the first settlers.
The first church was gathered in this town on the 4th of December, 1723. Rev. Job Cushing was settled as their pastor on the same occasion. He died in 1760, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Sumner, D. D., who was ordained in 1762. The next minis- ter, Rev. Samuel B. Ingersoll, was settled in 1820, and died the same year. He was succeeded, in 1821, by Rev. Edwards Whipple. Rev. George Allen, the next pastor, was settled in 1823. The first meeting-house was erected in 1721. The cost of the building was defrayed by a tax of £5 on each proprietor, which amounted to the sum of £210. After a lapse of about 40 years, the society voted, in October, 1764, to build a new meeting-house, 60 feet in length and 45 in width. The Baptist society in this town was formed in 1812, and their meeting-house built in 1813, at the cost of about $450. Mr. Elias McGregory was their first settled minister, ordained June 17, 1818. The Restoration society was formed April, 1820, and was incorporated in 1824.
The following is a southern view of the Congregational church, which, with the principal part of the village, stands on a commanding elevation. Distance, 6 miles from Worcester, and 36 from Boston. Population, 1,507. This is principally an agricultural town. In 1837 there were 93,101 pairs of shoes manufactured; value, $88,993; males employed, 140; females, 109; value of clothing manufac- tured, $60,000.
This town presents to the eye an uneven surface, variegated with
.
603
SHREWSBURY.
Southern vien of the Congregational Church, Shrewsbury.
hills and valleys. A range of highland, extending from north to south, passes through the middle of the town. The numerous swells and tracts of rolling land, which are most of them in good cultivation, are to be seen in all directions from the middle of the town, and give a pleasing variety to the landscape. The town is well watered by springs and rivulets, though there are no large rivers in the town. Long pond, called by the natives Quinsigamond, lying in this town by the line of Worcester, is a beautiful piece of water. It lies in the form of a crescent, nearly four miles long as it runs, and from 100 rods to near a mile in width. The water is, in general, of considerable depth ; in some places it has been found to be 90 feet deep. There are twelve islands in this pond, of vari- ous sizes. Stratton's Island, which contains 150 acres under culti- vation, has several families living upon it. Someof the other islands are more or less cultivated. This pond is the principal feeder of Blackstone canal. In the south-west part of the town is a large meadow, which contains excellent peat.
The following account of a fire which took place in the infancy of the settlement is from the Boston News Letter of Ang. 15, 1723 :
" Boston, August 15th, 1723.
" An exact account of the awful burning of Capt. Jolin Keyes's house, with five per- sons in it, at Shrewsbury, in the night between the 7th and 8th of this inst., taken from a letter of the Rev. Mr. Breck of Marlborough, and from the mouth of Mr. Ebenezer Bragg of the same, formerly of Ipswich, the only person of those who lodged in the house who, by a distinguishing providence, escaped the flames.
"Capt. Keyes was building an house about nine or ten feet off his old one. It was almost finished. And Mr. Bragg aforesaid, the carpenter, with his brother Abiel, of 17 years of age, and William Oaks of 18, his apprentices, were working about it. Capt. Keyes, with his wife and four daughters, lodged in the old one ; and the three carpen- ters, with three sons of the Captain's, viz. Solomon of twenty, John of thirteen, and Ste. phen of six years of age, lay in the new. On the Wednesday night, going to bed, they took a more than ordinary care of the fire, being excited thereto by the saying of one, He would not have the house burnt for an hundred pounds ; and the reply of another, He would not for two hundred. Upon which, they carefully raked away the chips lying near it, and stayed till the rest were almost burnt out ; and then they went all six together into three beds in one of the chambers ; and were very cheerly and merry at their going to bed, which was about ten of the clock.
"But about midnight Mr. Bragg was awaked with a notion of the house being on fire, and a multitude calling to quench it; with which he got up, saw nothing, heard no voice, but could hardly fetch any breath, through the stifling smoke ; concluded the house was on fire, perceived somebody stirring, against whom he hit two or three times
604
SOUTHBOROUGH.
in the dark : And not being able to speak, or to breathe any longer, and striking his forehead against the chimney, he thought of the window and happily found it. When he gained it, he tarried a minute, holding it fast with one hand, and reaching out the other, in hopes of meeting with some or other to save them, till the smoke and fire came so thick and scorching upon him, he could endure no longer ; and hearing no noise in the chamber, only, as he thought, a faint groan or two, he was forced to jump out, and, the window being small, head foremost ; though he supposes, by God's good providence, he turned before he came to the ground. As Mr. Bragg was just got up again, Capt. Keyes, being awaked in the old house, was coming to this side of the new, and met him. But the flame immediately burst out of the windows, and the house was quickly all on a light fire. No noise was heard of the other five who perished ; and it is very ques- tionable whether more than one of them moved out of their beds. The old house was also burnt, and almost every thing in it ; but the people were saved, through the great goodness of God. But a most dreadful sight it was in the morning, to see the'5 bodies frying in the fire, among the timbers fallen down in the cellar, till towards the evening, when the few almost consumed fragments, without heads of limbs, were gathered, put into one coffin, and buried. Psalm Ixvi. 3, Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works ! James iv. 15th, Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. Luke xii. 40th, Be ye therefore ready." Thus far the newspaper.
"The Capt. Keyes above named was afterwards the well-known and much esteemed Major John Keyes, who died in Shrewsbury, not many years since, in a very advanced age. The new house which was burnt stood on the great road, about three quarters of a mile eastward from the present meeting-house; and upon the same spot a large dwelling-house now stands."
The following is the inscription on the monument of Gen. Ward, in the grave-yard back of the church, represented in the engraving:
Sacred to the memory of the Honorable Artemas Ward, Esqr., who was born in Shrewsbury, Nov. 1727, graduated at Harvard College 1748. Being furnished with natural and acquired abilities for public and im- portant trusts, in 1751 he was commissioned a Justice of the Peace,; in 1762 he was appointed a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in this county ; in 1776 was made president of the said court. His firm attach- ment to the rights of man induced him to take an active part in the cause of America, and when the con- troversy with Great Britain was about to be decided by the sword, he consented to take the command of the American army, and continued in command during a most critical period of the contest. In 1779 he was appointed a member of Congress, and by the free suffrages of his fellow-citizens was repeatedly elected a member under the Federal Government, and continued in elevated public stations until age and bodily in- firmity constrained him to retire. Such was the firmness of his mind that he was swayed neither by the applause or censures of man, but appeared ever to act under a sense of duty and accountability to God. In every public station he acquitted himself with dignity, ability, and integrity, and his memory will long be precious with the friends of liberty and religion. He died Oct. 28, 1809, in the 73d year of his age.
SOUTHBOROUGH.
THIS town was taken from the ancient town of Marlborough, and derived its name from the circumstance of its lying about south from that town. It was incorporated by the general court in 1727. The first church was embodied here in 1730, and the Rev. Nathan Stone ordained the first pastor. He remained with the people till his death, in 1781, after which the church was destitute of a settled minister till 1791, when Rev. Samuel Sumner was ordained. The next pastor, Rev. Jeroboam Parker, was ordained in 1799, and was succeeded by Rev. John D. Sweet. Rev. Walter Follet was or- dained pastor of the second church in 1832. This church was organized in 1831. There is a Baptist church in the town. Popu- lation, 1,113. Distance, 15 miles from Worcester, and 30 from Bos- ton. The surface of this town is moderately uneven, and the soil productive. It is watered by a number of small streams and brooks. In 1837, there was a small woollen mill in the town; there were manufactured 170 pairs of boots and 39,312 pairs of shoes ; value, $31,560; males employed, 80; females, 75. There were 5,500 straw bonnets manufactured; value, $9,000.
605
SPENCER.
SOUTHBRIDGE.
SOUTHBRIDGE was originally a part of Sturbridge, Charlton, and Dudley. It was incorporated as a town in 1814. The first church was organized here in 1801, and Rev. Jason Park was ordained the first pastor in 1816. He was succeeded by Rev. Henry J. Lamb, who was ordained in 1833. His successor, Rev. Eber Carpenter, was installed in 1835. There are 3 churches, 1 Congregational, 1 Baptist, and 1 Methodist."
South-eastern view of the central part of Southbridge.
The above is a south-eastern view in this flourishing village, which consists of about 40 or 50 dwelling-houses, besides other buildings. The Baptist church is seen on the right; the South- bridge Bank, Hotel, &c., on the left. The township is watered by the Quinnebaug, which passes centrally through the town. Popu- lation, 1,740. Distance, 20 miles from Worcester, and 60 from Boston. In 1837 there were 3 cotton mills, 6,844 spindles; 1,139,160 yards of cotton goods were manufactured ; value, $95,900; males employed, 83; females, 89; one woollen mill, 4 sets of machinery; 50,000 yards of cloth were manufactured; value, $150,000 ; males employed, 75; females, 50; boots manufactured, 590 pairs ; shoes, 15,475; value, $15,712 ; males employed, 17 ; females, 14.
In 1801 the inhabitants of the south-eastern section of Sturbridge, (now Southbridge,) ninety in number, were, upon their petition, incorporated into a Poll Parish. These 90 persons, with their families, formed rather a distinct community for many years, and the place of their residence was generally known by the name of Honest Town.
SPENCER.
THE whole of this town was included in the original grant of Leicester. It was made a parish in the year 1744, by the name of the West Parish of Leicester, and was incorporated a town in 1753, by the name of Spencer. The church was organized here in 1744, and Rev. Joshua Eaton was ordained their pastor the same year. He continued with the people till his death, in 1772, and was suc- ceeded, the next year, by Rev. Joseph Pope. The next minister
606
STERLING.
was Rev. Stephen Crosby, who was settled in 1819. Mr. Crosby was succeeded by Rev. Levi Packard, in 1826.
-
---
South-west view of Spencer.
The above engraving shows the appearance of the central part of Spencer, as it is entered from the westward, upon the road to Brookfield. The Congregational church is seen on the right, on the elevated ground in the distance. The Universalist church is the building with a tower, standing in the compact part of the village, which consists of about 40 dwelling-houses.
This town is elevated, and is said to be 950 feet above the tide waters in Boston harbor. The surface is rough and uneven, but the soil is very fertile. It is watered by many streams, which run through the different parts; but none of them are of much size. Seven-Mile river is the largest. There are 3 churches, 1 Congre- gational, 1 Baptist, and 1 Universalist. Population, 2,085. Dis- tance, 11 miles from Worcester, and 51 from Boston. In 1837 there were 2 woollen mills, 4 sets of machinery ; 34,000 yards of cloth were manufactured ; value of woollen goods, $87,000; males 'em- ployed, 31; females, 23; there were 52,091 pairs of boots and 2,940 pairs of shoes manufactured ; value, $106,496; males employed, 162; females, 28; four wire-drawing mills ; 19 tons of wire manu- factured; value, $10,480; ten hands employed; there were 2 powder mills; 162,500 lbs. of powder were manufactured; value, $14,500; there were 29,600 palm-leaf hats manufactured; value, $7,000.
STERLING.
THIS was for many years the second parish in Lancaster, and was usually called Chockset. It was made a separate parish in the year 1743, and remained united with Lancaster until April 25, 1781 ; when it was incorporated by an act of the legislature, and received its present name in compliment to Lord Sterling, of New Jersey, who served as a general in the American army in the revo- lutionary war.
The first inhabitants established themselves in this town as early as 1720. Gamaliel Beaman was the first inhabitant, and was immediately followed by Samuel Sawyer,
607
STURBRIDGE.
Benjamin Haughton, David Osgood, and Jonathan Osgood. They were all natives of Lancaster old parish, and of families who had long resided there. Their houses were all within short distances of each other, lying north-westerly of the meeting-house. The first meeting-house was built in 1742. The church was gathered Dec. 19, 1744, and Rev. John Mellen was ordained their minister the same day. The second meeting- house was erected in 1799, on the site of the old one. It was dedicated on the first Sunday of the year 1800. The successor of Mr. Mellen was Rev. Reuben Holcomb, who was ordained in 1779 ; he was succeeded by Rev. Lemuel Capen, who was ordain . ed in 1815. Rev. Peter Osgood, the next minister, was settled in 1819.
The surface of this town is hilly and uneven, but there is very little broken or waste land in it. The soil is fertile, producing in rich abundance, to repay the husbandman for its cultivation. The land is naturally moist, and by the help of the rivulets the water may be turned over the sides of most of the hills. There is but one river in this town, called Still river, from the placid motion of its waters. In the central part of the town there is an uncom- monly beautiful little village, consisting of 2 churches and about 20 dwelling-houses. Population, 1,650. Distance, 11 miles from Worcester, and 40 from Boston. In 1837, there were 24 manufac- tories of chairs and cabinet ware; the value of chairs and cabinet ware was $53,228; hands employed, 80. There were 22,500 palm-leaf hats manufactured; value, $7,200; value of scythe snaiths manufactured, $5,000.
STURBRIDGE.
THE land of this town was originally granted, in 1729, to seve- ral petitioners of Medfield, and many of the first settlers were from that town, and hence the place was called New Medfield, until its incorporation in 1738, when it received the name of Sturbridge. The following, respecting the first settlers, is from Rev. Joseph S. Clark's Historical Sketch of Sturbridge, published in 1838 :
"Henry Fiske, one of the original proprietors, and his brother Daniel, pitched their tent near the top of the hill which has ever since borne their name. They had been at work for some time without knowing which way they must look for their nearest neighbor, or whether indeed they had a neighbor nearer than one of the adjacent towns. At length on a clear afternoon they heard the sound of an axe far off in a sontherly direction, and went in pursuit of it. The individual whose solitary axe they heard had also been attracted by the sound of theirs, and was advancing towards them on the same errand. They came in sight of one another, on opposite sides of the Quinebaug river. By felling two trees into the stream, one from each bank, a bridge was constructed on which they were able to meet and exchange salutations, The unknown man of the axe was found to be James Denison, one of the proprietors, who, in the absence of a better home, had taken lodgings in a cave, which is still to be seen not far from Westvill. In that lonely den he continued his abode, it is said, till a neighboring wolf, who probably had a prior claim to the premises, signified a wish to take possession, when Mr. Denison peaceably withdrew and built him a house of his own.
" For some time after the work of clearing the forest had been undertaken, no one had ventured to spend the winter in a place so desolate and distant from the track of man. The proprietors, or whomsoever they employed, usually came in the spring, and returned to their respective towns in the autumn. Joseph Smith, with no other companion than his faithful dog, was the first who encountered the rigors of winter in Stuur- bridge. Alexander Selkirk was not more secluded from human society on the island of Juan Fernandez, than Mr. Smith was in this place during four months, having neither seen nor heard from a human being in all that time. . The cellar which protected his frugal store from the frosts of that dreary winter may still be seen on the farm of Jabez Harding, Esq., not far from an aged pear tree, which Mr. Smith is said to have planted soon after he came."
The proprietors built a meeting-house, which was consecrated, in 1733, by Rev. Jo- seph Baxter, of Medfield. In 1736 the Rev. Caleb Rice was ordained pastor. About 1747, a number of his church, conceiving they had received new light, different from the rest of the people, separated from him. Mr. Rice died in 1759. He was succeeded by Rev. Joshua Paine, who was ordained in 1761. Rev. Otis Lane, the next minister, was ordained in 1801, and was succeeded by Rev. Alvan Bond, in 1819. Rev. Joseph S. Clark succeeded Mr. Bond in 1831. The persons who separated from Mr. Rice's
60S
STURBRIDGE.
church formed themselves into a Baptist church about 1750. The first meeting-house, of this society was built on Fisk's Hill, in 1784. Rev. William Ewing was their first minister. Rev. Jordan Dodge was ordained their pastor in 1784, and was dismissed in 1788. The next minister, Rev. Zenas L. Leonard, was ordained in 1796. His succes- sor, Rev. Addison Parker, was installed in 1833. Rev. Isaac Merriam and Rev. O. O. Stearns have been the succeeding pastors.
The central village lies in a valley between two hills, which are about two miles apart. The soil in this valley is fertile. The vil- lage consists of about 30 dwelling-houses, a Congregational and Baptist church. The engraving shows the appearance of the vil- lage as it appears when seen from the north-east, upon the Charlton road. Population, 2,004. Distance, 18 miles from Worcester, and 58 from Boston. The Quinebaug has its source in this town; it originates from near Lead-mine pond, takes a circuitous course into Union, Holland, Brimfield, and back into Sturbridge. Upon this stream are considerable tracts of interval and meadow lands. There are a number of ponds in this town, near one of which, called Lead- mine pond, a number of adventurers from Europe, many years since, dug deep for ore, a considerable quantity of which they car- ried with them to England. They never, however, returned.
a m
View of the central village in Sturbridge.
In 1837 there were 6 cotton mills, 8,664 spindles ; S29,749 yards of cotton goods were manufactured; value, $117,134; males em- ployed, 71; females, 117; there were manufactured 2,220 pairs of boots, and 12,660 pairs of shoes ; value, $18,306 40; males em- ployed, 35; females, 15; value of pocket rifles manufactured, $20,275 ; hands employed, 36.
In the southern part of the township is an extensive tract of broken land, called Breakneck, near which the Breakneck pond in Union, Conn., takes its rise. A ledge of rocks in this tract extends about a mile, which, in some places, is 100 feet perpendicular. This ledge has been a great place for rattlesnakes. It is stated that an old lady, the wife of an extensive farmer by the name of Howard, living in this vicinity, after her dairy business was done in the morning, in the Month of May, used to go out and kill rattlesnakes; and that she had been known to have killed as many as 16 in one morning. These snakes, some years ago, were made considerable use of for medicinal purposes ; the oil as a remedy for the quinsy and sprains, the skin for rheumatism and head-aches ; and the gall was also used in medicinal preparations. They were worth from about 50 to 75 cents per head, and it was for the profit of the business that it was followed by the old lady. The only instance known of any person being bit here by a rattlesnake was that of a lad --- his father filled his mouth with tobacco juice and sucked out the poison, so that the effects of the bite were scarcely perceptible. Black snakes, upwards of nine feet in length, have been killed in the Breakneck region.
609
SUTTON.
SUTTON.
THIS town was originally purchased by a number of persons of John Wampus, a sachem, and his company of Indians, who claim- ed it, and was confirmed to the purchasers by the general court in 1704. It was formed into a township and called Sutton by an act of the legislature in 1715. The settling of the town was retard- ed for some time by reason of the wars with the Indians.
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.