USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol II > Part 5
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Jolin Congdon, Capt.,
Aaron Marsh,
Primus, a Negro,
Stephen Draper,
Elijah Marcy,
Isaac Upham,
Benjamin Dix,
Joseph Mills,
Jonathan Upham,
John Dunton,
Adam Martin, Capt.,
Nathaniel Walker,
Silas Dunton,
Aaron Martin,
Josiah Walker,
James Dyer,
Moses Martin,
Benjamin Walker,
Thomas Dyer,
Asa Morse,
Obed Walker,
Robert Edwards,
Daniel Morse,
Phineas Walker,
Cyrus Fay,
Enos Morse,
Dennison Wheelock,
Simeon Fiske.
Jeremy Morse,
Ralph Wheelock,
Nathan Fiske,
Timothy Newell, Gen., George Watkins,
Joshua Fiske,
Samuel Newell, Capt., Charles West,
Benjamin Felton, Lient., Stephen Newell, Lieut., Thomas Wakefield,
Walter Freeman, John Philips, Deacon,
-- Welch,
Abel Gun,
Ebenezer Philips, Dr., Isaac Warner, Capt.,
John Gess,
Daniel Plimpton,
Thomas Young,
Eleazer Howard,
Elijah Plimpton,
John Taylor, Lieut.
Elias Plimpton,
There is great and abundant evidence upon the records of this town, of the earnestness and persisteney of purpose of its people for the preservation and maintenance of their rights ; and also in the framing and establishing a new form of government, it appears on the record of their doings that they were no less watchful. They voted unanimously in favor of the Declaration of Independence, and recorded it entire .
Simeon Mason,
Mark Stacy,
Joseph Cheney,
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STURBRIDGE.
upon their town book ; and when asked for their opinion and consent that the State Legislature should have the right to draft a constitution and ratify the same, without their having the privilege of examining and approving of it, they rejected the proposition with but one vote in its favor, and appointed a committee consisting of Deacon Daniel Fiske, Deacon Moses Weld, Colonel Daniel Plimpton, Mr. John Holbrook, and Lieutenant Henry Fiske, to draft their reasons for this vote. The principal reason was the following :
"As the end of government is the happiness and safety of the people, so the sole right and power or forming and establishing a plan thereof is in the people; consequently, we think it unadvisable and irrational to consent that any set of men should form and ratify a constitution of government for us, before we know what it is."
This report was approved by the town, and sent to their representative for his instruction. This action was in accord- anee with a large majority of towns in the province.
A special convention, composed of representatives elected by the people, for the specific purpose of drafting a consti- tntion, was assembled; and, as desired by the people, it was sent to the several towns, when drafted, for either their rejec- tion or ratification, admitting the right of final decision as belonging to the people, in the primary law for their govern- ment.
The bill or declaration of rights, the form of government, and the address accompanying the same, were furnished all the towns for their examination in open town meeting, called especially for that purpose ; at which every article in the bill of rights, and the articles in the form of government were fully discussed, each voter regarding the business as a special act of his own, appearing to realize the full weight of respon- sibility resting upon him, to see and act in a manner that should secure for himself and posterity such a government , as would be, in all respects, the best for his and their wel-
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fare and happiness. With such feelings of responsibility, the people of the several towns voted either yea, or nay, npon all the articles, as aforesaid, which votes now stand on the records of the several towns, showing the separate and distinct action upon each of the same.
The people of New England, originating from a class who fled to this wilderness country for the sake of the right of private judgment in all that concerned their best in- terests in matters of both political and religious rights, naturally drew from their ancestors that inspiration which actuated them. But their plan of government most proba- bly arose from necessity quite as much as from any other cause, by the introduction of small corporate bodies called towns, for municipal purposes, which operated as a source of primary education in political affairs, fitting cach voter with correct modes of thought and action when any particular crisis arose.
It likewise inspired in each a spirit of independence and sovereignty, leading him to esteem himself equal with the best in respect to his rights as a citizen. Such was the charac- ter and condition of most of the people in the English colonies, but more particularly in New England, when they were forced by the English government to consult upon meas- ures for preserving their charter rights against the unlawful acts of Parliament.
It was confidently believed by European statesmen, when the conflict arose between England and her American colo- nies, that, should they be successful in separating themselves from her control, they would fall into the hands of some as- pirant, who would rule them as dictator more arbitrarily than the mother country.
This idea arose, doubtless, from past experience, as the for- mer attempts to establish governments subject to the will of the people had proved a failure ; but America, so far as re-
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.
garded the English colonies, was not, in most respects, a par- allel case, as no former people had been reared in a similar manner.
In the first place, there was freedom from the effeminacy of luxurious living ; all had been accustomed to frugality and industry from necessity ; having no leaders of govern- ment always at hand to guide and control their actions, and protect them from the evil designs of the native race, or from the encroachments of opposing European colonies, spreading along their borders, they were forced to take measures for their own protection, and to study their rights, and the best modes of preserving them. Thus for self-preservation, sparsely settled in the different colonies, they were trained to self- reliance, in the most stern and severe manner.
Their system of government, formed by small municipal bodies, and unlike that of any other people, established to meet the necessities of their scattered and isolated condition, forced each individual to study and learn to become acens- tomed to the science of government.
Again, while they were untrammeled by any former system of government or any rulers, except such as they by choice placed over themselves, to be removed at their pleasure, they learned to appreciate and respect what they esteemed their own government, and thus learned to respect the rights of others, and to be obedient to instituted law, which protected alike the rights of all.
Furthermore, in matters of faith, they were free, in a gen- eral sense, from the traditions and leading-strings of Episco- pacy and the Papal hierarchy, and learned to respect others only as they, under like circumstances, were respected.
All claimed the right of private judgment-the right to rea- son, examine, and decide for themselves.
Then came in, for their aid and support, the system of com mon school education ; children were, by authority of their
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own instituting, trained in schools, and learned to read, to think, and to aet for themselves. Thus there arose a natural feeling of independence, equality, and self-reliance, which pe- enliarly fitted each individual to guard his own rights ; and although there were plenty of dictators, there were none to be dietated.
The town of Sturbridge, before it lost any of its territory, contained about forty-five square miles of land, and perhaps, with the addition of a large part of Middlesex Gore, in 1796, about 30,000 acres.
In passing from the Revolutionary period, there are not many incidents, beyond the ordinary affairs common to all towns, that are of sufficient interest to record, unless it be its ecclesiastical affairs, which will appear more particularly as a separate history.
What is now known as the old cemetery was a traet of land set apart for that purpose, at the time the town received its first settlers. Its present inclosing wall was erected by an order of the town, the 12th of May, 1794, and as then directed by the report of the committee to whom it had been referred, it was decided that it be fenced by a free contribution of the labor of the individuals from different parts of the town, and under the charge of the captains of the several military com- panies, each to engage his particular command at specific days set apart for that purpose, as follows : That each captain give notice to his company to appear with teams and tools on a day appointed (the 16th, 17th, and 18th days of June fol- lowing were appointed for the time to perform the work required); Captain Hooker to employ his command on Mon- day, the 16th ; Captain Corey and company, on Tuesday, the 17th ; and Captain Marey and his company, on Wednesday, the 18th. Thus, it is reasonable to presume, the present inclos- ing wall was placed where it now stands on the days set apart, as above given.
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STURBRIDGE.
The first attempt to divide this territory, or to set off a part to form another town, was when they undertook to build a new meeting-house, in 1783. This attempt was caused by a dissatisfaction or disagreement as to the location of the new house. By some it was proposed to divide the town into three distriets or precincts, the term then used ; this movement met with but little favor, as it would involve the expense of three meeting-houses, and much greater charge for the sup- port of religious worship.
Again, in the year 1784, Deacon Moses Weld and others in the north-eastern part of the town moved to be set off, and to unite with a part each of the towns of Brookfield, Spencer, and Charlton, to form a new town at Podunk. This, at first, was partially assented to, but was finally refused by a vote of the town.
This vote set at rest the project for a town at Podunk, no further movement in that respect having since been made.
Another and more persistent attempt was set on foot in the year 1796, when Joshua Harding, Junior, and others, inhabitants in the south-east part, petitioned to the General Court to be erected into a separate town, to embrace with this south-east part the south-west part of Charlton, and the west part of Dudley. As a preliminary step, a survey of the proposed territory for the new town was made by the late Caleb Ammidown, Esq., of Charlton and a plan made, which accompanied the petition, and was laid before the committee of the court. It does not appear that any definite action was had, beyond the limits of this town, which voted against this design. These petitioners, how- ever, did not cease their attempts, although opposed and delayed in their contemplated projeet by the united opposition of the three towns that were to be partially dismembered, if the petition should prove successful.
These petitioners, to strengthen their claims for a town, and
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for accommodating themselves with better facilities for relig; ious worship, took the preliminary steps for erecting a meet- ing-house, which they effected and dedicated to the worship of God in the year 1800.
By persistent efforts these petitioners so far succeeded, that, in the year 1801, the General Court incorporated a certain number of individuals in the aforesaid limits of the three towns into a poll parish ; the number of corporators was ninety, which will appear in that part of this work relating to Southbridge.
The object of this act of incorporation extended only to partienlar persons and their estates, without including their successors, within described limits. This, by another act of the General Conrt, on the petition of these parishioners, was altered so as to embrace the territory, setting forth the pre- scribed limits, in the year 1808.
But, in the mean time, while this section was enjoying the privilege of religious worship in their immediate vicinity, they still aspired to political rights, under the authority of a town organization, and they, with their co-operators from the other two towns, did not cease their efforts until they obtained from the Legislature an act of incorporation for a town, after twenty years' labor, in February, 1816.
During the period of abont fifteen years, in which the poll parish existed, it became generally known and distinguished as Honest Town; but how, or for what cause, this parish received this name, does not appear. In referring to this name, the Rev. Joseph S. Clark, in his centennial address of July 4, 1838, has quoted the following, in a note at foot of page 24, taken from an address by Moses Plimpton, Esq., delivered before the Southbridge Lyeeum, in 1836 :
" It may have been attached to us by some one in the older towns, from which we had separated. in a moment of resentment, at our obsti- nacy in not being satisfied with going seven miles to meeting : it may have
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come from some wag. or bar-room joker, over his cup of flip; or possi- bly from some one of our really honest inhabitants, who firmly believed that there was more true, genuine honesty here than in any other place in the country. Be this as it may, it is certain that this place, now Southbridge, for twenty years or more before we became a town, was known far and near by the name of Honest Town ; and whether the term was applied ironically, or in " sober earnest ;" whether the charac- ter of our inhabitants for fair dealing between man and man rose above or fell below the common standard-the truth would probably require us to admit that, from local situation- to use the charitable expression of the amiable anthor -- or for some other cause, there was a general want of stability, a kind of freedom from wholesome restraint, which was by no means favorable to the cause of good morals, virtue, and religion."
The whole number of ratable polls in Sturbridge at the time of this separation was 476, and the whole valuation of property, $325,233 ; of which, 151 polls, and $83,783 of its valuation was set off to the new town ; that is, a little less than one third of the polls, and a little more than one fourth of the property fell within the limits of Southbridge. The quantity of land taken with these polls and estates, so far as it affected Sturbridge, may be judged by a comparison of the whole number of acres of the town before this new town was incorporated, and the quantity taken therefrom by that act of incorporation. The original quantity being 28,929 aeres, and the quantity set off, 7,940} acres, with a large por- tion of the best water-power of the Quinebaug river, which was formerly within its limits, and this, with that part of the water-power on said river, taken from Charlton and Dudley at the same time, has been the leading cause of the growth and prosperity of Southbridge.
Sturbridge, with the foregoing diminution of its territory, has steadily progressed in wealth and population, and at no time more rapidly than during the past few years.
Its principal source of prosperity has been its soil, until its manufactures commenced ; and, quoting again from Rev. Mr. Clark's address, " That same rough, mountainous, and rocky 4.4
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soil, which the General Court, a hundred years ago, judged unworthy of sale, and hardly fit to give away, as being ' not capable of making a township.' The result has shown that the first settlers of this town, in placing their chief reliance on " the blessing of God, in concurrence with diligence and industry,' rested on a firm basis."
Its manufactures derive their water-power from the Quine- bang river: Only a portion of this is as yet occupied, but has thus far been a great source of its growth.
Up to the year 1811, when the first act of incorporation was obtained, its water-power had been occupied but little, if any, except for saw and grist mills. Its other manufactures are as follows : 1st,
THE STURBRIDGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WESTVILLE.
At what time the water-power was first made use of on the Qninebang, at this place, is not certain ; but it is known that Jedediah Ellis and Fletcher Foster built a dam across the river, where the principal dam is now located, in this village, and erected a saw-mill, as early as the year 1799, on the south side of the same, as now indicated by those works. And not long after a grist-mill was erected at the north end of said dam.
This association was incorporated the 5th of December, 1811, with the following names who subscribed for the shares which stand against their names respectively. The shares were $250 each.
" Rev. Zenas L. Leonard, - 2 Shares, $500
Stephen Newell,
2
500
Lieut. John Plimpton,
500
Moses Fiske, -
4 1,000
Jephthah Plimpton,
1
250
Ziba Plimpton, -
-
1
66 250
Moses Newell,
1 250
Eleazer Rider, - -
2
500
Comfort Freeman,
3
750
Franklin Rider,
3
750
-
66
500
Nathaniel Rider,
-
$5,750."
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STURBRIDGE.
This company having been organized, and the above stock subscribed, their first outlay for establishing the cotton-mill, was a purchase made of Moses Fiske of the water-power and grist-mill before referred to, at the north end of the dam erected by Ellis and Foster, in 1799, with a tract of land for the canal, and a site for the contemplated mill.
The sum paid for this water-power, grist-mill, and canal, with ground for the mill site, was $645.
The five stockholders first on the foregoing list, contracted with the company to dig the canal, wheel-pit, and race-way, stone the same, and erect a building thirty feet by forty-five, and three stories in height ; to put in a water-wheel and suit- able geering connected with the shafting for running the machinery, and to have all complete for operating by the 1st of June, 1812.
The two last nained stockholders contracted to build 128 spindles of cotton machinery, with all the necessary prepara- tion suitable for carding and spinning yarn from cotton, for the sum of $14.00 per spindle, and to have the same all per- fect, complete, and ready for operating, by the 15th of June, 1812; and they to receive an extra sum of $600 for the card- ing machine.
The above contracts were completed, a double carding machine in, and all put in motion and tested, so as to com- mence the spinning of cotton in August, of said year.
The mill was run the first two weeks by Nathaniel Rider, on his own stock, to test the perfection of his machinery.
The mill began to run for the company, under the superin- tendence of Nathaniel Rider, the 7th of September, 1812. His brother, Franklin Rider, operated the carding-machine till the 6th of November, 1812, at three cents per pound.
The shares were all paid in to the company, and that account closed the 26th of October, the same year, and the aggregate sum received was about equal to the expenditure to that time.
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The outlay had been done with great economy, and with the present idea of the cost of labor and material, it can scareely be realized that so much could be accomplished at so little expense.
Moses Fiske succeeded Franklin Rider in conducting the carding business at three cents per pound for the raw cotton worked. The boarding-house north of the mill was erected early in the year 1813. The business at this time gave good encouragement of a profitable investment.
A stock dividend of fifty-one dollars and eighty-three cents per share was paid, January 1, 1814; and a quarterly dividend of ten dollars and twenty-five cents per share was paid, April 1, following.
. The books of the company show no other dividends ; but it is presumed the business was profitable during the remainder of the year 1814, and until the close of the war, when British manufactures were introduced below the cost of any similar production in these States.
The great reduction in the price of cotton yarn, by large importations from England, soon proved ruinous to this and all similar enterprises. The attempt to compete with the skilled labor of England, that was now thrown upon the American market, designed to crush out these early attempts in that business, resulted, as might reasonably be expected, in a loss of the capital invested.
The act of incorporation is as follows :
"AN ACT
TO INCORPORATE STEPHEN NEWELL AND OTHERS BY THE NAME OF THE STURBRIDGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
"SECTION. Bu it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Stephen Newell, John Plimpton. Eleazer Ryder, Zenas L. Leonard, Moses Fiske, Jephthah Plimpton, Comfort Freeman, Nathaniel Rider, Ziba Plimpton, Franklin Rider, and Moses Newell, together with such others
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as may hereafter associate with them, and their successors and assigns, be and they are hereby made a corporation by the name of . The Stur- bridge Manufacturing Company,' for the purpose of manufacturing woot and cotton, in the town of Sturbridge, in the county of Worcester; and for that purpose shall have all the powers and privileges, and shall also be subject to all the duties and requirements prescribed and contained in an act passed the 3d day of March, A. D., 1809, entitled, . An Act De- fining the General Powers and Duties of Manufacturing Corporations.
" SEC. Be it further enacted, That the said corporation, in their corpo- rate capacity, may lawfully hold and possess such real estate not exceed- ing $50,000, and personal estate not exceeding $100,000, as may be necessary and convenient for carrying on the manufacturing wool and cotton in their varions branches in the town of Sturbridge.
ยท October 20, 1812."*
COTTON MILLS AT FISKEDALE.
These mills, and the village of Fiskedale, now the most populous part of this town, are the result of the ability, intel- ligence, and enterprise of the late Honorable Josiah J. Fiske, a native citizen of the town, although for many years he re- sided at Wrentham, and engaged in the practice of law, and, as a politician, for a time had considerable influence in State affairs as one of the governor's council.
The first use of the water-power at this place was for a grist- mill, built by Captain Jacob Allen at an early period in the history of the town, and it is said to be the first mill of the kind built within the limits of its present territory. This locality, from the time of the first settling of the town, has continued in the Allen family to the commencement of this cotton manufacturing business, having been originally settled by Moses Allen, who was not an original petitioner, but was admitted to the company of planters about the time the plantation was began.
A son of Captain Allen who built the grist-mill, Dr. Abra- ham Allen, made further improvements here by enlarging the
* See vol. Iv, Massachusetts Laws, from 1806 to 1813, p. 458.
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STURBRIDGE.
dam with a view to the introduction of an enlarged business, when it attracted the attention of Mr. Fiske, who, about the year 1827, made a purchase of these improvements and the water-power, with considerable adjoining land.
Mr. Fiske erected the brick mill, and filled it with machinery in the years 1827-'28, and began the cotton manufacture in May, 1829.
The dimensions of this first cotton-mill are eighty-four feet by forty, and five stories high.
The stone mill was erected in 1834 and 1835 ; filled with machinery, and commenced to manufacture cotton in 1836. This mill is one hundred and eighty feet by forty, and five stories high.
These mills had ten thousand spindles and two hundred looms, and made print cloths sixty-four by sixty-four ; weight seven yards to the pound.
They occupied only about half of the water-power connected with this privilege.
The water-power is here used twice. The upper privilege, occupied by the stone mill, has a head and fall of twenty-three and a half feet ; and the lower, occupied by the brick mill, sixteen and a half feet, making a total of forty feet, and the whole quite secure against any sudden rise of water in the river.
The supply of water from this river, the Quinebang, has been much improved and equalized by the erection of large dams, forming reserves at its head waters, which hold the sur- plus accumulations of the winter and spring, and release it in the dry seasons.
These mills were greatly enlarged or rebuilt on a more en- larged scale in the years 1869 and 1870 ; the stone mill was partially taken down and prepared for purposes of storage ; and near to it, for ocenpying the power of that mill site, a new brick mill was erected, of the dimensions of one hundred and eighty-two feet by seventy, four stories high, with an L ex- tension, fifty-six feet by seventy-two, three stories high.
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STURBRIDGE.
At the center of the large part of this mill are two towers, one on each side, in one of which is hung a bell of the weight of fifteen hundred pounds, having a clear mellow tone, which is distinctly heard, when rung, over a large extent of the town.
The foundation of all parts of this large mill rests upon solid rock, and the wheel-pit and canal were excavated out of the same. The machinery is operated by a Leffel wheel, having two hundred and eighty horse-power. Every part of the mill has the modern improvements, and has a light and airy aspect. This mill contains sixteen thousand spindles, and three hundred and fifty looms. The daily consumption of cotton is two thousand five hundred pounds, and it has a product of fifteen thousand yards of cloth.
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