USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol I > Part 32
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At this day, in 1872, there are no doubt more than 100,000 miles of these telegraph lines in operation throughout the different countries in the world.
Honors from nearly all civilized countries have been awarded him. In 1848 Yale college conferred on him the compli- mentary degree of LL. D .; and in the same year he received the decoration of the Nishan Iftichar, set in diamonds, from the Sultan of Turkey. Gold medals of scientific merit were awarded him by the King of Prussia (set in a massive gold snuff-box), the King of Wurtemberg, and the Emperor of Austria. From the Emperor of the French he received, in 1856, the cross of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor; in 1857, from the King of Denmark, the cross of Knight of the Danne- brog; and in 1858, from the Queen of Spain, the cross of the Knight Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. He was also a member of many European and American scientific and art societies and academics.
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A later and most distinguished honor was paid him by an honorary gratuity bestowed by several European governments, whose representatives met, at the instance of the late Emperor of the French, in Paris, to consider the best means of giving the inventor a collective testimonial. Ten States were repre- sented, viz. : France, Russia, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Aus- tria, Sardinia, Tuscany, the Holy See, and Turkey. Their deliberations at two sessions resulted in a vote of 400,000 francs, as an honorary and personal reward to Mr. Morse for his useful labors.
In 1856 the telegraph companies of Great Britain united to give Mr. Morse a banquet in London, at which Mr. William Fothergill Cooke presided; and in Paris, in 1858, another banquet was given him by Americans, numbering more than one hundred, and representing almost every State in the Union. Submarine telegraphy originated also with Professor Morse, who laid the first submarine telegraph line in New York harbor in 1842, and received at the time from the Amer- ican institute a gold medal for that achievement.
In a letter from Mr. Morse to the Secretary of the United States Treasury, dated, " August 10, 1843," it is believed occurs the first suggestion of the project of the Atlantic telegraph.
In October, 1837, Professor Morse filed a caveat in the patent office to secure his invention, and he obtained his patent in 1840, covering the improvements he had then made in the apparatus.
The idea of a submarine telegraph had been entertained by different parties a number of years before any successful ex- periment was made.
On the 18th of October, 1842, Professor Morse laid a cop- per wire, insulated by means of a hempen strand coated with tar, pitch, and India rubber, from Governor's island to the Battery in New York, and the next morning was beginning to receive communications through it, when the wire was caught
26
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by the anchor of a vessel, and a large part of the line hauled on board the vessel that did the mischief, and was carried off by the sailors. Several similar tests of submarine telegraphs, both in Europe and America, gave convincing evidence that distance under water was no obstacle in the way of a success- ful result in transmitting messages by the electric current, provided the line could be perfectly laid from one terminus to the other. Thus the idea of a line across the Atlantic ocean, connecting Europe with America, was made to appear feasible, and a profitable enterprise. Before making the actual attempt to lay this connecting wire on the bed of the Atlantic, it was deemed a matter of prudence to test the power of the electric current and means of sending the same so great a distance, which was done by a coil of wire 2,300 miles in length, insu- lated with gutta-percha. Signals were passed through this extended line by the magnetic electric coils of Mr. Whitehouse, and the signals received upon the ordinary recording appara- tus of Professor Morse.
Mr. Cyrus W. Field was one of the most active parties in this great enterprise. It was found on laying this lengthy submarine cable that to force the electric current such distance under water new methods were required, as it was ascertained that insulated wires acquire a new character when submerged, and instead of transmitting the current as simple conductors, they are of the nature of the Leyden jar, the gutta-percha cor- responding to the glass, the inner wire to the interior coating, and the iron coating, or the fluid surrounding the cable, to the exterior conducting surface ; and that, consequently, the cable must be charged throughout the entire length before any effect is produced.
Among other interesting phenomena, it was observed that the voltaic current is not transmitted so rapidly through such a conductor as the magneto-electric current ; that several dis- tinct impulses may pass in succession, at the same time, one
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after the other, through the wire within certain limits without interference ; and that alternating positive and negative cur- rents are transmitted many times more rapidly than successive impulses of the same character.
The first great line of the Atlantic cable connecting the European and American continents was commenced in 1857, and completed, August 5, 1858. After being laid, the wires were first worked by the Ruhmkorff induction coils and a Smee's battery, and afterwards with a Daniell battery ; but the current was for the most part so weak as scarcely to work the most delicate relay, susceptible to an impulse that could hardly be perceived on the tongue. The effect was indicated at the Newfoundland station by the deflection of a delicate galvanometer, and at Valentia, in Ireland, by that of the reflect- ing galvanometer of Professor William Thompson, the effect of which is to multiply the movement in a ray of light re- flected from a mirror attached to a very delicate magnetic needle. This ray being thrown upon a surface at some dis- tance, a movement of the needle, that is otherwise imper- ceptible, may be even measured upon a graduated scale. The transmitted current was, much of the time that the cable continued in action, so weak, that every expedient of this kind was necessary to render the signals perceptible.
From the first there appears to have been a defect in the part of the cable laid toward the Irish shore, which caused a temporary interruption of communication that passed between the ships engaged in laying this line, and excited much fear for the result of the enterprise, until these were renewed ; and it is generally believed that the very imperfect signals during the time they passed through it, from August 13 to September 1, were attributable to this original defect as the main cause. During this time 129 messages were sent from Valentia to Newfoundland, and 271 from August 10, in the other direction. The message from Queen Victoria to the
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President of the United States, containing ninety-nine words, occupied in its transmission to Newfoundland sixty-seven minutes. Great efforts with the most powerful batteries, aided by the most scientific persons, were employed to keep the cur- rent flowing, and telegraphic communications continued, but the current ceased the 20th of October following.
This first unfortunate attempt for laying the Atlantic cable was very discouraging, and proved almost fatal to the enter- prise. But Mr. Cyrus W. Field, not feeling disposed to yield to this first failure, visited England in 1862, with the design to carry out this enterprise.
He consulted Messrs. Glass & Elliott, who were the most experienced parties in both the manufacture of cables and the laying of the same. They had recently been successful in lay- ing a cable for the French government between France and Algeria, 520 miles in length, which was then in perfect and successful working order.
This was laid in water as deep as any between Ireland and Newfoundland. They also referred to other extensive lines, particularly the one they laid under the direction of the British government, extending from Malta to Alexandria, in length 1518 miles. They expressed great confidence in their ability to construct and lay a line across the Atlantic, and were wil- ling to risk a liberal subscription to the stock. The estimated amount of the capital required was $3,000,000 of which, up to the year 1865, half had been subscribed, and in addition the government of the United States engaged to contribute annually the sum of $75,000 the same to be applied to the use they might make of the line in communications, and the English government engaged for the same object in like man- ner $100,000. The two governments also gave a joint guar- antee of eight per cent. on the capital expended while the line works.
This cable, as manufactured, was 2,600 miles in length,
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and one and one eighth inches in diameter; the whole weight being over 5,000 tons. The connection with the shore was made, and the laying commenced, July 1, same year, and continued until 1,062 miles had been run, and 1,186 miles of cable payed out, when, through some defect, it parted, the end sank to the bottom, and after several trials to grapple it (at a depth to the ocean bed of 15,000 feet) had proved unavailing, the job was abandoned until the ensuing year.
A new cable was constructed, in length 2730 nautical miles, part of which was designed to complete the cable of 1865.
After making fast the new cable of 1866, having laid twenty- seven and a half miles in shoal water, and making all neces- sary preparations, the fleet of vessels used for laying the same (among them the Great Eastern) commenced paying out on July 13, at 3.20 o'clock, P. M., and on Friday, July 27, at 8 o'clock, A. M., the squadron arrived off Heart's Content, Trin- ity Bay, Newfoundland, the distance run being 1,660 miles, and length of cable payed out 1,864 miles, showing a total slack of about eleven per cent. On the same day the end of the cable was brought to the shore by the ship Medway, and Mr. Field telegraphed intelligence of the completion of the work to President Johnson, as follows :
"HEART'S CONTENT, Friday, July 27, 1866.
" To His Excellency PRESIDENT JOHNSON, Washington.
" SIR: The Atlantic cable was successfully completed this morning. I hope that it will prove a blessing to England and the United States, and increase the intercourse between our own country and the Eastern hemisphere.
" Yours faithfully, "CYRUS W. FIELD."
The fleet and company which had laid this cable of 1866, now turned its attention to the lost cable of 1865, and succeeded on August 10, in finding its location and grappling it; but it was not until it had been raised several times nearly to the
390
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surface, that it was finally secured and held, to be connected with the new cable that had been made and brought to com- plete the entire line. Finally, September 1, several of the ves- sels had grappled it, and each succeeded in raising it up from its bed, while the Great Eastern brought the end on board. A splice was effected in latitude 51º 52' 20", and longitude 35° 5' 20" on the 2d, at 6:45, A. M. The work of laying the bal- ance of the line now commenced, and was soon successful in completing a second line. From the island of Newfoundland and through all the other intermediate waters the cable had previously been laid, making a complete connection with the main-land, thus furnishing, in 1866, two lines of communica- tion between the two continents.
It has been estimated that not less than $6,000,000 were expended at the time of laying and completing the two lines.
ABIEL HOLMES, D. D., LL. D.
Dr. Holmes was the son of Dr. David Holmes, a surgeon in the French war, and on the breaking out of the war of the Revolution was again engaged in that capacity, and served four years.
He was born in Woodstock, December 24, 1763. Died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 4, 1837. He was at the age of sixteen when his father died, in 1779, a graduate of Yale college in 1783, and for a time tutor in that institution, while prosecuting his studies in theology.
Having closed his studies at New Haven, he became the minister for a religious society in the parish of Midway, in Georgia, in the year 1785, where he remained till compelled by ill-health to resign his pastorate in 1791.
In the preceding year he had married Mary, daughter of President Stiles, of Yale college, who died, August 29, 1795. He was installed as pastor of the first religious society at Cam- bridge, January 25, 1792, which charge he held till Septent-
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ber 26, 1832. On the death of President Stiles he received his large collection of manuscripts, containing researches upon many subjects. From the careful examination of these papers Dr. Holmes wrote and published the life of Dr. Stiles, in 1798.
The examination of these manuscripts led his mind in the way of gathering up historical facts relating to America.
The continuation of these researches enabled him to publish " The Annals of America," the first edition in two volumes Svo, at Cambridge, in 1805, which has since maintained its place as the leading authority in American history. This was published in England in 1813, and republished in an enlarged edition in this country in 1829.
He was an active member of the Massachusetts Historical society, and among the valuable researches in this behalf are his " Memoirs of the Huguenot Settlement at Oxford," pub- lished in the third volume of the second series of the " Collec- tions" of that society in 1830.
He married, for his second wife, in 1800, Sarah, daughter of the Hon. Oliver Wendell, of Boston; and among the three children by this marriage is Oliver Wendell Holmes, M. D., a physician and poet, born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, August 29, 1809; a graduate of Harvard college in 1829; visited Europe, traveling extensively there in 1832 and some years following ; and gave attendance at various hospitals at Paris and other cities.
He received the degree of M. D. in 1836, and in 1838 was chosen professor of anatomy and physiology in Dartmouth college. On the resignation of Dr. J. C. Warren in 1847, he was elected to fill the same office in the medical department of Harvard college. As a poet and humorous writer he is scarcely equaled; while his writings upon medical science have been numerous and of much value. Dr. O. W. Holmes married the daughter of Charles Jackson, Esq., late of Bos- ton, where he makes it his home. Here is again exhibited
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the succession of intellectual ability, through three successive generations, of superior quality .*
JOHN MARCY.
This Mr. Marcy was one of the first planters and founders of Woodstock, and is the great ancestor of the Hon. William Learned Marcy, late Governor of New York.
This family will be more particularly referred to in connec- tion with the historical sketch of Southbridge.
JOHN CHANDLER AND JOHN CHANDLER, JR.
These names appear among the founders of Woodstock, as influential in its affairs. There is no one name connected with the history of this town, from its origin to the present time, that has sustained itself more creditably than that of Chandler. While there has no one of the name shown conspicuously brilliant, they have, through all the entire period, been prom- inent and influential citizens. It has often represented this town in the Colonial legislatures of both Massachusetts and Connecticut, and one of the first to represent the town in the latter colony, when it passed to that jurisdiction.
In the formation of the county of Worcester this name stands honorably connected with the first organization of its judicial affairs. ¡
John Chandler was one of the first justices of the court of
* The great ancestor of the family of Holmes in Woodstock was John Holmes, one of the first planters here. The records of the town show that he married Hannalı Newell, April 9, 1690 ; certified to by Rev. Josiah Dwight, their first minister.
t The county of Worcester was formed by an act of the Legislature of Massachusetts, passed, April 2, 1731, as follows: "That the towns of Worcester, Lancaster, Westbor- ough, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Leicester, Rutland, and Lunenburg, all in the county of Middlesex : Mendon, Woodstock, Oxford, Sutton, including Hassanamisco, Uxbridge, and the land lately granted to several petitioners of Medfield, all in the county of Suf- folk : Brookfield, in the county of Hampshire; and the South town, laid out to the Narra- ganset soldiers ; and all other lands lying within the said townships, with the inhabitants thereon,-shall from and after the 10th day of July, which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand and thirty-one, be a county by the name of Worcester."
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Common Pleas, and his son, clerk of the same court ; the other justices of this court, at this time, were Joseph Wilder, of Lan- caster, William Ward, of Southborough, and William Jenni- son, of Worcester,* and Daniel Gookin,t sheriff.
In the year 1754, John Chandler, Junior, who had, from the first establishing of the Common Pleas court here, been the clerk, was now appointed judge, and by a new organiza- tion of this court in 1757, he was the chief, with Edward Hartwell, Thomas Steel, and Timothy Ruggles, as associates.
Judge Chandler held this office till 1762, when he resigned, after being connected with the Common Pleas court of the county of Worcester thirty one years. This Mr. Chandler was also clerk of the court of General Sessions of the Peace for this county, from its first organization in 1731 to 1751, twenty years.
It also appears that John Chandler, Senior, of Woodstock, was also the first judge of probate for the county of Wor- cester, and John Chandler, Junior, was the first register of probate.
The descendants of this family have held office under this county almost continuously in some of the departments, a large portion of the time since its incorporation in 1731, and there are descendants now residing in Worcester of much distinction.
In August, 1735, Governor Belcher, with the members of his council on their way to Albany, to hold a conference with the Iroquois (Six Nations), called at Worcester; the justices of
** At the first session of this court, August 10, 1731, the Rev. John Prentice, of Lancas- ter, preached a sermon from the text, II Chronieles, chap. xix, 6th and 7th verses: " And said to the judges, take heed what you do; for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of per- sons, nor taking of gifts."
+ This Daniel Gookin was grandson of Major General Daniel Gookin, the chairman of the committee of the General Court, who made the first report in favor of granting a town in this middle place, in the way between Boston and Springfield. Mr. Gookin held this office till his decease in 1743.
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the General Sessions, with other citizens, waited upon him. Their complimentary address to the governor is preserved, as follows :
" May it please your Excellency, we, his Majesty's Justices of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace, now holden at this place for the county of Worcester, by adjournment, humbly beg leave to congratulate your Excellency's safe arrival in this part of your government." It is with hearts full of joy that we now see your Excellency's face, together with his honorable council, in the shire town of this county, which has received its being and constitution by the favor of your Excellency under the Divine conduct and benediction, and by whose wise, mild, and just administration this whole province enjoys great quietness, which we trust will be continued and accepted in all places, and in all thank- fulness. We are also sensibly affected that your Excellency has conde- scended, and is now pursuing, a very necessary, although a very tedious journey to visit the Western frontiers, and meet with the Cagnawaga Indians and such tribes as may be desirous to renew their friendship with this government, in order to preserve and perpetuate the happy peace established with them. May your Excellency and the honorable gentlemen of the council, and such of the honorable House of Repre- sentatives as attend you, be compassed with Divine favor as with a shield, and in due time return in safety to your respective habitations."
The Hon. John Chandler having read this address in the above language, his excellency was pleased to return the fol- lowing answer :
" Gentlemen : I thank you very kindly for the welcome you give me with the honorable gentlemen of his Majesty's council, and the gentle- men of the House of Representatives, into this part of his Majesty's province.
" I take this opportunity of assuring you that I shall always cheer- fully join my power with yours, that justice and judgment may flourish in the county of Worcester, which will greatly contribute to the happi- ness and welfare of the people."
During the French war, and the capture of Louisburg and Cape Breton, as well as the French wars running from 1754 to 1762, officers by the name of Morse, Chandler, Holmes, Marcy, McClellan, Lyon, and Manning were in the field, and, as Woodstock was the oldest town, and at this time the most
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wealthy and populous in this interior of New England, its quota of men for both the French and Revolutionary wars exceeded that of any other town in this section of the country.
After the campaign conducted by Colonel William Johnson and General Phineas Lyman against the French in the sum- mer of 1755, commanded by Baron Dieskau, as referred to in another place, Captain Israel Putnam, who, with a com- pany of men raised in Woodstock and Pomfret, had partici- pated with honor in that campaign, was ordered to raise a company of men to hold possession of Fort Edward during the ensuing winter of 1755-'56.
The following are the names of the officers and soldiers that composed that command, which, at the request of this writer, were furnished from the State archives of Connec- ticut by the State librarian, the Hon. Charles J. Hoadley.
A roll of Captain Israel Putnam's company in garrison at Fort Edward, December 5, 1755.
The names, time of enlistment, and date of their discharge, are given in the roll, as follows :
Names.
Time of Enlisting.
Discharged.
Captain Israel Putnam
November 25, 1755
May 30, 1756.
Lieutenant Nathaniel Porter 66 Henry Chapin
66
April 26
29
66
Sergeant Henry Pearson
25
66
24 66
10
66
April 26
66
Peleg Sunderland
December November
25
66
May 30
25
66
66
30
66
Nathan Hale
66
26
66
30
66
66
66
Thomas Lyon
Drummer Nathan Bacon
66
25
May
30
66
Clerk Isaac Dean
66
25
. 6
66
30
66
Soldier Robert Austin
66
25
66
April 4
25
66
May
30
66
Matthew Davis
66
Daniel Isham
66
24
66
30
66
66
24 66
Peter Leavens
William Manning
Corporal David Cleaveland
David Whitmore
24
30
66
25
66
April 6
66
24
May 66
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WOODSTOCK.
Names.
Time of Enlisting.
Discharged.
Soldier Micajah Torry
November 24, 1755,
April
4, 1756.
66
Eliphalet Carpenter
May
30
66
66 Samuel White
66
25
66
66
30
66
66 Jeremiah Jackson
66
25
66
..
30
66 Peter Bowen
66
25
66
66
30
.6
66 Timothy Harrington
25
66 Giles Harris
66
24
66 John Austin
66
25
66
April 9
66
Aaron Dewey
66
25
66
66
29
66
66 Eli Lewis
66
24
.6
..
23
66
66
Samuel Horton
66
26
66
30
66
66
Ezekiel White
66
24
April 21
66
66
Robert Newell
66
24
66
May
29
66
66
Samuel Webb
66
24
66
66
29
66
66
Gideon Webb
24
66
66
29
66
66
Solomon Mack
66
24
66
66
29
60
Zaccheus Crow
66
24
66
66
29
66
66
Charles Bilcs
. 6
23
66
6.
30
66
66
Edad Parson
66
25
66
66
29
66
Stephen Pease
66
24
March 20
66
Wareham Pease
٠٠
24
66
20
6.
06
26
66
29
66
James Hartford
66
25
66
29
66
Thomas Eddy
66
25
66
66
20
..
66
George Gregory
66
25
66
.6
24
66
John Metcalf
66
24
66
January 23, 1756.
66
John Philips
66
25
December 25, 1755.
66
John Hutchinson
66
24
6.
January 22, 1756.
66
Benjamin Shipman
24
66
February 7, 1756.
..
66
66
30
66
30
6.
66
May
30
66
Littlefield Naslı
25
60
30
66
The inhabitants of Woodstock will recognize this list of names as being chiefly from that town.
There is scarcely a name among the founders of Woodstock that has not come down to the present time with honor, either by their own acts or those of their descendants.
6 6
66
29
Roger Crow
66
24
28
Edward Tryon
24
30
25
66 Ebenezer Cary
24
John Waters
Thomas Brigdon
25
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WOODSTOCK.
Henry and John Bowen are found among the first planters. This name, through all the history of the town, has held a high position, frequently as representatives in the Colonial legislature, and since in the State, and through the French and Revolutionary wars, as well as in the affairs of town, and religious societies.
But while we refer to those of the past, it is proper here to mention one of the present day, who is doing so much for the benefit and advancement of this ancient place.
Whoever may have visited this Puritan town a quarter of a century or more since, and witnessed the change of appear- ance since that period, particularly the old south village, must have discovered great improvements, indicating wisdom, com- bined with artistic taste.
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