USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Marlborough > Historical reminiscences of the early times in Marlborough, Massachusetts : and prominent events from 1860 to 1910, including brief allusions to many individuals and an account of the celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town > Part 19
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
No. 23, Simon Maynard's garrison, (this was on then Indian planta- tion, near Ephraim Maynard's place, now Curtis. ) Adam Holloway, Benjamin Whitney, Joseph Newton, John Keyes and Abiel Bush.
No. 24, John Newton Jr's. garrison, (was in what now is South- borough.) Eleazer Bellows, James Eager, James Newton, Benjamin Newton, Ephraim Newton, John Woods and Abraham Newton.
236
No. 25, (in what is now Southborough.) I. Woods, Thomas Wither- bee, Isaac Amsden, Moses Leonard and Roger Bruce.
No. 26, Joseph Morse's garrison, (upon the so-called "Farms.") Thomas Bigelow, Samuel Bigelow, Samuel Morse, John Bigelow, John Sherman and Daniel Harrington.
THE LEWIS HAPGOOD HOMESTEAD.
Once on a time there was a man we now call Shadrach Hapgood, who could trace his ancestral line to Thomas of 1587, who married Helena Earle, daughter of Richard Earle of Collensbourne, Kingston, England, and was knighted in Elizabeth's time. When the Normans were mixing their Latin with the Saxon, Habgood was spelled Hapgood which was an ancient name as the arms of Habgood denote. Shadrach, when he was fourteen years old embarked in the year 1656 in the Speedwell and settled in Sudbury, Mass., where he married Elizabeth Treadway, whose grand- mother, Margaret Howe, married for her second husband George Bunker, constable of Charlestown, 1630, and owner of the summit of that renowned hill of glory bearing his name. Shadrach Hapgood was a man of enterprise and early laid the foundation of the spacious and fertile landed estate which so many of his descendants have enjoyed down to
237
the present time. Immediately before the breaking out of Phillip's war in 1675, the Indians near Quaboag, now Brookfield, manifested a dispo- sition to treat with the English, and Captain Hutchinson of Boston, and Captain Wheeler of Concord, with a small party of men among whom was Shadrach Hapgood, were sent to treat with them. Three of the sachems promised an interview on the second of August, 1675, at the head of Wickaboag Pond. The English repaired to the spot agreeably to the appointment, but the Indians were not there. On proceeding further, the Indians who had treacherously ambushed their path, fired upon them, killing or mortally wounding eight of their number. Hapgood, then of Sudbury, was among the slain, and there his wife with her five children heard the sorrowful news. Among her children was Thomas, who mar- ried Judith (Symonds) Barker of Concord. They settled in Marlborough and in 1695, purchased of Edmund Rice land in the northeasterly part of the town on what was afterward known as the Colonel Wesson Spurr place. Here was No. 21, the garrison of Thomas Hapgood, assigned to John Forbush, John Wheeler, Josiah Howe, B. Carly Sr. and James Carly. Thomas Hapgood lived to be ninety-five years old. He had nine children, ninety-two grandchildren, two hundred and eighty great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren, in all 313. His grand- children saw their grandchildren and their grandfather at the same time. Among Thomas' children was Joseph, who married Mary Brooks, daugh- ter of Hugh and Abigail ( Barker) Brooks of Concord. Joseph inherited the homestead of his father with the east half of his spacious farm in Marlborough. He was selectman and a prominent and leading citizen. Their son, Joseph, named for his father, married Ruth Jackson. Among the latter's children was Jonathan, deacon of the first church, who mar- ried Betsey Elizabeth Priest. They settled in Princeton, near Wachusett mountain, where all his children were born. After his death, she returned with her children to Marlborough and lived in her father's old home. Their son Lewis married Almira E. Stow of Southborough and built the above Lewis Hapgood homestead. He was an intimate friend of Deacon Goodale and used to say one reason for selecting this sight was that he might look over every morning and see by the smoke when his dear old friend had lighted his fire. The Deacon had laughingly exclaimed : " Lewis, if you can discover a location on this spot where we can see the smoke of each one's chimney, I'll present you with the equivalent of two oxen and a day's labor." This place fell to his son and successor, Lyman Hapgood, who married Sarah Hosmer of Southborough, daughter of Sylvester and Abby Forester of Framingham. Lewis and Almira had
238
eleven children among whom was Caroline M. Hapgood, who used to walk daily from this house up to the old academy to profit from the instruction of O. W. Albee. As she grew to womanhood she mar- ried James McAuslan, who coming from Glasgow, Scotland, settled in Marlborough and died respected by all. Their children were Margaret, and Dr. James Lewis, now living in Hudson, who married May Marshall of Boston. Their children are Catherine, Caroline and James Lewis Jr.
UU NOOM
THE JABEZ HUNTINGTON HOMESTEAD.
Our antiquarian and authority for historical facts, Cyrus Felton, always insisted that Captain Samuel Brigham's residence was on South street on the above farm, publicly giving as he considered, sufficient proof for his claim. On this farm was Captain Samuel Brigham's garrison in 1711, and he was one of a committee of eleven who selected the twenty- six garrisons in Marlborough that year. About 20 years after the decease of Captain Brigham, in 1730, this street was part of the main street through the town. On the east it follows the cross street by the late Colonel A. A. Hillman's, thence the Farm road and Sudbury road through Hagerville ; on the west, along Beach street to Williams Tavern, along Worcester street north of the pond. There were mile-stones erected along this road and one of the stones bore the date 1729. Josiah Brigham, son of Samuel Esq., lived on the homestead and his son John Gott Brigham
239
also occupied the same. The latter died suddenly in the field in 1816, and his wife married Dr. George Howe. They resided upon this place several years. Afterward, Israel Parmenter settled here and at his death his widow marriedJabez Huntington. [Captain Samuel Brigham, as we have written, lies buried in the old cemetery at the rear of the high school and undoubtedly Thomas 2d, and his mother also lie in the same cemetery, but the places are unknown.]
Deacon Peter Fay alluded to the old Huntington homestead when he exclaimed : " Where is the original tree of the 'Early Bough'? I place it in Marlborough. Sixty years ago I went to the farm of John Brigham (lately owned by Huntington) and there ate the early 'Sweet Bough' under a tree more than two feet through. If any tree has a better record for the 'Early Bough,' show it up. It is the best early sweet apple we have. Forty years ago I went to the east part of Marlborough and procured some scions of the 'Spurr' apple, so called, and found the true name to be ' Hubbardson Nonesuch.' It is the best large apple cultivated for the early winter market. But every tree has its natural location for growth and fruitage," and Marlborough may well be called the apple town.
=
THE OLD ARCADE, SOUTH STREET.
Coming from over the seas as did our own American forefathers from the oppression of England, the early Irish settlers were a remarkably law-
240
abiding and patriotic race. In the war of the Revolution and in our Civil war, Irishmen held their own with heroic deeds. Quoting Mrs. O. A. Cheney, " we place the name of Theobald Mathew, the Apostle of Tem- perance, beside that of John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians, and we speak of John Boyle O'Reilly in the same breath with Henry W. Long- fellow."
Few houses in Marlborough have greater interest than the one pictured above. Here lived William, father of Bernard Brewin; Michael Burke, father of Michael and Thomas Burke; Walter Wall, father of Patrick Wall; and Patrick Quirk, father of John Quirk. In this house the first Mass in Marlborough was said by Father Hamilton (Rev. George Hamil- ton) who came from Saxonville to officiate.
REV. FR. HAMILTON.
After this first Mass in the Arcade, Father Hamilton never came to Marlborough, but Rev. John Farley of Milford used to come every Sun- day to celebrate Mass in the old house of Lawrence Carey on Mulberry street, now Lincoln. In the latter house in 1851, Father Farley celebrated a midnight Mass the night before Christmas. The Catholic population of
24I
Marlborough then numbered we are told not more than twenty-five people. Today there is an attendance in the Church of the Immaculate Conception of 4,500, and in Saint Mary's church of 4,000, making a total of 8,500 souls.
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, PROSPECT STREET.
The next priest to visit Marlborough was Rev. Napoleon Mignault of Webster, there being at this time several Catholic French families. At
242
these services the French and Irish Catholics attended together, and the priest, a very eloquent gentlemen, preached both in French and English. When Father Farley first celebrated Mass the congregation was too large for a private dwelling, and as the weather was fine, Mass was celebrated in the open air on South street, an altar having been erected under the beautiful old tree in front of the house pictured above. After this, Mass was said every month. In those early days, the Catholic settlers felt more and more strongly as time went on that they needed a church of their own, and upon Mt. Pleasant was the first little church built.
Rev. John Welch was the first resident clergyman and Rev. John A. Conlin, the second. The latter in 1867, was succeeded by Father Maguire who died in 1870. Rev. J. Delahanty was his successor and resided here over five years. Rev. James Donegan was settled here in 1876, and was followed by Father P. A. McKenna at whose death Father T. B. Lowney, the present pastor, succeeded. When the little church was erected on Mt. Pleasant, which commands an extensive and delightful prospect, the tower first built was extremely high. This was carried off by a terrific gale and a shorter tower was substituted. Later on the church itself was destroyed by fire, and in 1866 the Church of the Immaculate Conception was erected. It was intended at first to build this of granite from the quarry near Jabez Huntington's homestead, but the stone proved so hard that brick was substituted. Some years later the church was remodeled to the present fine edifice.
--
FE
PROPOSED IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.
243
The preceding picture is taken from the architect's drawing of a school to be erected under the supervision of Rev. T. B. Lowney and is expected to be ready for occupancy by Sept. 1911. It will be located on parochial property and will face on Washington Court. It will contain eight rooms and will accommodate about four hundred pupils.
244
CHAPTER XIII.
7
PLEASANT STREET IN YE OLDEN DAYS.
From the Smith or Gibbon house there was no other until you reached the old " Bigelow long house " which they tell us was built by Mr. John Boyd. William Howe purchased and built on the northerly end where he kept store three years, followed by Thomas Howe, who was succeeded by the Bigelow brothers " L. and L." Lambert Bigelow kept country store here and reared in the house-part a family of eight children. In those days many houses contained a room set aside in which to dance, for no regular dance hall had then been built, and no place was more of a favorite than the Bigelow low-studded dance room.
Lambert Bigelow, son of Gershom, was born in 1824, in the latter's little old red homestead, and as he grew to manhood married Emily Dick- inson of Northfield, Massachusetts, whose grandfather was a soldier in Bennington and whose great grandfather was killed by the Indians. Upon a hillside in Northfield is a monument erected in memory of Nathaniel,
245
who, when going up Panchang hill near where the monument stands, was shot from his horse and tomahawked and scalped by Indians. The report of the fire-arms brought directly the people from Deacon Alexander's fort to the spot. " Father who shot you?" "Indians," he whispered, and expired. Martha, the loving wife, surrounded by her children was wait- ing in the old fort room for the return of her husband but there were no tidings until the faithful old family horse, led by kind and sorrowing neighbors ascended the hill and halted with his lifeless burden before the door. On the following December the stricken widow gave birth to a son and she called his name Benoni-" the son of my sorrow." He grew to manhood but had the greatest dread of fire-arms and could not be induced to use them. He could never listen to any tale of Indian warfare and when drafted into the Revolutionary army, the officers being informed of his inability to bear arms, assigned him a place in the commissary depart- ment. He was also averse to taking the life of any creature, and even to old age was never known to voluntarily speak of his father's death. Lam- bert Bigelow's name will always be held in high esteem by all the old citizen's of Marlborough.
The Bigelow school house was named after this man so highly respected throughout life as honest, conservative and upright. A loving and beloved husband and father and a faithful public servant, holding many positions of trust. He was Representative to the General Court, Town Clerk for twenty-two years and Town Treasurer for ten or more years. It was through his untiring efforts that the Marlborough branch railroad was built. As business increased he built the new house just above on Pleasant and Lincoln streets, and there he passed away in 1863, his wife following him in 1869.
Just before reaching the " old long house," we pass the modern house, residence of William Pitt Brigham, whose son, Henry A., married Mary Plank. He is an engineer and mining expert, and resides in Cali- fornia. Ch. Emma Louise ; (m. Walter S. Bigelow, ch. Ethel and Ruth) Charles Francis ; (m. Ida B. Campbell, ch. Eleanor, Henry, Carl and Robert) Edward Bigelow; (born in North San Juan, Cal., and named after his old comrade, Edward Bigelow in Marlborough, resides in Baker City, Oregon) and William Pitt.
246
THE OLD CLISBEE HOUSE.
This house, at the corner of Lincoln and Pleasant streets, was once the pride of the west Marlborites with its great white pillars, its beau- tiful window high above, and its picturesque southern door. Mrs. Clisbee, a dear eccentric old lady who had not passed out of her yard for forty odd years' had never beheld the "late invention" of steam cars, and answered when being asked by some ladies of a church for the loan of some of her lovely antique garments, now so greatly prized and cherished by all persons : " Am no more antique than you are, and I haven't any more antique things than you have." " Would that she were right," sighed the departing visitors looking back at the bright little lady who was in the olden time one of its best dancers and would reel a jig to the admiration of all who were privileged to see her. She was then Lydia Loring and used to live with her parents, John Loring and Mary Beaman, in the house torn down near the Benjamin Johnson or Caleb Witherbee house by the pond. She married John Clisbee who built this handsome old house where was born George, a genius whose talents were undeveloped from lack of appreciation from those who could not understand him, and Mary, who married William Howe, whose parents were Elizabeth and Israel Howe of Sudbury. One afternoon, this smart, well preserved little woman was rocking in one of the comfortable old time arm chairs in the low
247
southwestern long room on whose walls hung many old time wooden- framed pictures. Heavy, rich, old mahogany furniture stood around and in the high cupboard built in as of yore beside the chimney, in the south- eastern parlor gleamed the lustre of quaint old china that made a relic hunter's heart leap with delight. Referring to her childhood, she said she remembered when there were no Lincoln or Pleasant streets, " nothing but a path, and to me when I used to come home from the old academy on the common, up here seemed almost to the end of everything, for there were but few houses beyond the lane and I remember passing through a big gate to get up to the end of the lane. Why, I remember old Mr. Packard well. I can remember old times much better than I can those later on. I suppose I'm not up to fashion, but then I never did care much for the fashion. Think I rather enjoy being a little different from others. Remember once when mother made me an apron, it came out a bit too short and she put a ruffle on it. No one was wearing ruffles then, but instead of feeling out of fashion I just enjoyed being different from the others. But I declare, every new apron after that had a ruffle on it. Father was into many things. He was always studying into something. First was the building of some new house ; then it was the raising or the planting of something new. He was greatly interested in the silk worm and he planted mulberry trees way up ever so far on what is now called Lincoln street. It was all his land then and the trees were so thick that everybody called it Mulberry street, and you'll find it so down on the old maps of Marlborough. We children had to pick the leaves every day after school to feed the little things and it was great fun to hear the noise they made and to see them creep round and round the leaf and to watch the way they were treated and had to be cared for. But they set a good example for they minded their own busi- ness and never crept or crawled away. Father used to have great apple orchards that bore apples the best I ever ate. Down in the long house of Lambert Bigelow, before he built his big house on the corner, they used to dance, and 'though I was young at that time they used to let me go with the girls. Once I remember I was visiting grandfather and grand- mother Loring over near the pond, not far from the old Williams Tavern ; as children often have strange ideas, so did I have a peculiar one. I some- how imagined that I was to live on forever and aye; and that when I reached a hundred then I should retrace the years and live it all over again. But no, grandma tried to impress upon me that I must some day die and she succeeded so well with her efforts that the thought became a terror to me and that night after my consin and I got up to Bigelow's to the dance.
248
I had so much anticipated, I crept away up here home to mother, for I knew mother would know and make it all right." Sweet trustfulness of childhood. How the heart warms and grows tender at that word so sug- gestive of everything which makes the home and family ties more dear - mother. Little Mary Clisbee knew that the mother would know how to comfort her childish heart and she knew well. Her brother George and her father were well known church-organ builders and at their death, and that of her mother and her own husband, Mrs. Howe came back to live in the old home. Her mother had lived in this house over 61 years, leading the simple life and believing in the Golden Rule. Her son George sacrificed his life in devotion to his mother who died only nine days after his own death. Dear old lady Howe herself at the age of 85 years passed away in 1909 and the house was sold and is used at the present time for public educational purposes. The first organ used in the Unitarian church was constructed by Aaron Howe, an ingenious mechanic, son of Abraham Howe, who it is said became insane from excessive study upon it. It afterwards came into possession of Mr. John Clisbee who finished and greatly improved it and set it up in the church, in September, 1824.
Opposite the Clisbee house was the old brick house where, on the corner of Pleasant and Lincoln streets lived for many years, Lucas Bigelow, son of Gershom, who married Mahala Stowe. Lucas was well known as a market man and teamster from Marlborough to Boston, before the days of railroads. They had Patty, who married John McDonald ; and Jenny, who married Major Henry O. Brigham, son of Hastings and Nancy (Spear) Brigham. Henry was a drummer boy at sixteen years of age in the Mexican War, then became first lieutenant, then government clerk in service at Washington, D. C. He was paymaster in volunteer ser- vice at the head of the Pay Department of the Gulf, from 1863 to 1865, then in regular service, stationed in Detroit. Children of Henry and Jenny, Hattie Josephine who married E. C. Hawkes of reportorial ability [ch. Frances, Jenny, Marjory. ] Before she died " Aunt Mahala " would relate her experience at the time she decided to be " up-to-date " and make a " tea " for her neighbors. Donning shawl and bonnet she stepped over to Aunt Nabby Howe who accepted the ceremonious invitation to " come spend the afternoon and stay 'til after tea." But when the hostess knocked at lady Clisbee's door, that little bright-eyed woman quite took her down with : "Spend all my afternoon with you and Abby? Well, I guess not ! And stay to tea? Well, I shan't do any such a thing ! I've got tea
249
enough at my own home, Mahala Bigelow !" The latter would tell this story with a merry laugh, for she never bore any grudge toward her good neighbor and always made the best of things in this life, believing as she said : " If you can't get cream, you might as well learn to love your sasser of skim milk." She would often be found at her brother-in- law Lambert's house across the way, among whose children were Olivia (who married Alden B. Bigelow of New York city. (Children, Emily, Edward, Beatrice.) Richard and Fred died, and Addie married the author William Drysdale (one child, William). She married second W. S. Stevenson.
It was before Ella had moved to Detroit. The latter had married Mur- ray Baker, son of Rev. Jacob Baker. Their children were Blanche, (m. Thornton Field, a prosperous ranchman of North Platte, Nebraska, ) Theodore, (m. Julia Mumford, ch. Edward and Sam,) George, treasurer of Michigan University, Ann Arbor, (m. Gertrude Deane). Florence (m. Frederick Hart of Detroit, ch. Frederick), Emily and Irving.
Aunt Mahala was an encyclopedia as to genealogy and often spoke of Martha Baker, (daughter of Dr. John, ) who marrying Aaron H. Fel- ton, had a large family of children. Harriet [Roger Boyd, brother to Samuel, and Joseph ; one ch. Jennie. ] Caroline, [Phelps. ] Catherine B., [Jewett. ] Silas D., [Dudley. ] Sarah D., [Lewis. ] Lovinah, [Cutting ; Niles. ] John S., [Gibbs. ] Henry F., [Hoyt. ] Ann M., [Bullard. ] Charles M., [Twitchell. ] Jeanette, [Kirk. ] William L., [Atwood. ]
The writer of this work, herself, has often clasped hands with the sweet little mother of these twelve children whose home had been bright- ened by the voice of the celebrated Adelaide Phillips, and other celeb- rities as years went on, before she whispered "good bye."
Next to the Clisbee house is that of William Howe who married Abigal Fay, sister of Mark Fay, an interesting old lady who lived to be 100 years old. Mr. George Howe, nephew of William, now resides here. He married first Susan Slocum, second Delia Drury (ch. Alfred) ; third Harriet F. Coburn of Warren, Maine, (children, William and Everett.
The church in early days faced south and in the little red school house, standing close by, the foundation of education of many a Marl- borough citizen was laid. In the time of Mr. Packard, the seats in the old church, erected in 1805, which in former days faced Mulberry street,
250
were large, square pews holding two or three families, but generally none too large for the family of many children. Considerable import- ance was attached in the early times to the seating of people in the meeting house. The writer is in possession of a plan of the seating of the church at that time, showing three aisles and 44 square pews in the body of the church and five on each side of the pulpit besides the front one which they called the "deacon's seat." There was a very high pulpit with a closet underneath ; the gallery extended around three sides of the house and in the back part of the gallery were square pews owned by some of those who owned pews below. When the church was built, there were no means provided to heat it, and small foot stoves or thoroughly heated bricks were carried by all. After a few years two of the pews near the pulpit were taken out and two box stoves set up. Standing for prayers the worshippers would turn up the seats, and great was the noise when at the Amen, down came the seats with a clatter and a bang.
Who in these later years does not remember Reuben Dole? A pleasant-faced, cheery old man of over 99 years. Coming from Acton, he had lived here over 70 years of his life and was full of stories of the olden times, of the spinning and weaving, the making of the linsey-woolsey garments, the furniture and the tin dishes full of grease in which was inserted a wick, all of which gave out a "brilliant light." In Acton when he was ten years old he went to work. At eighteen he moved to Concord. He saw General Lafayette and remembered well the great reception given to the distinguished friend of America, and General George Washington. Reuben Dole's grandfather was in the Revolution- ary War, and he himself had seen four wars-that of 1812, Mexican, Civil and Spanish-American. "Do you know why the men always took the end of the pews at church?" he would ask. "Our forefathers began that custom so that in case of alarm they could rush out first with their guns which they always carried with them wherever they went. He cast his first vote in 1832 for Andrew Jackson and from that time never neglected to exercise his right of franchise. "We had some stirring times in those old town meeting days in Cotting hall."
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.