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 7
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Parmenter was also postmaster. He kept the office in or near the Thayer tavern. John Cotting was postmaster for several years. His son, John F. Cotting, managed the office for his father at first in the building known as Fairbanks store. About 1848, he moved it into what was then the Brick store, [the first brick store in the town and built by Rev. Sylvester F. Bucklin. ] There it was kept for several years. Mr. Cotting was succeeded by Charles M. Howe as postmaster. He took the office out of the Brick store and fitted up a room for it in the building that stood where Exchange Building or the Russell Hotel now stands. Mr. Howe held the office but a short time, and was succeeded by Samuel Chipman, who kept the office in the room fitted up by Mr. Howe.
The next postmaster was Joseph C. Cotting, the father of our Librarian, Miss Sarah Cotting, and he moved the office into what was then the Boyd & Corey new building, which stood where Corey Building now stands. Joseph Cotting was appointed postmaster November 10, 1852, and died in office in 1862. Hollis Loring was appointed his suc- cessor. The latter moved the office into the then Marlborough Block and kept it there until a new building was erected on the west end of what is now the City Hall lot, into which he moved the office and kept it there until his death in 1865. He was the last predecessor of our present highly respected citizen, Postmaster John S. Fay, who took charge of the office in the last mentioned building on June 8, 1865.
In 1889, to make room for the new Town Hall, the building was moved down Main street on to the lot now covered by Burke's Block. Mr. Fay kept the office in the building while it was being moved and until July 4, 1870, when he moved it into the new Town Hall building and kept it there until September 15, 1892, when he moved into the present location, Grand Army Building. To Mr. Fay we are indebted for information in regard to the postoffice.
John S. Fay was born in Berlin, Mass., 1840, and is of the 7th generation from John Fay who embarked on the Speedwell. He has resided in Marlborough continuously since 1848, enlisting 1861 in Co. F, 13th Regt., Mass. Vols., and was in service with his company until April, 1863. At that time being in action near Fredericksburg, he received wounds from a shell fired from the Confederate ranks that cost him his right arm and leg. He was at this time holding the rank of Sergeant. Six weeks later, while in the field hospital, he was captured by the Confederates and confined in Libby prison at Richmond. He was later paroled and sent to Annapolis from where he was discharged. He reached his home in October of that year, the most crippled and muti-
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lated of all the survivors of the 831 men Marlborough sent into the ser- vice of the government during the great struggle for the preservation of the Union.
Mr. John S. Fay was appointed Postmaster of Marlborough by President Andrew Johnson 1865, and by successive appointments he has held the office ever since, not only because he is a veteran of the war and has made a sacrifice which entitles him to the admiration of all, but on account of his very efficient service in his goverment position. He mar- ried the late Lizzie Ingalls. Their son, Frederick II. Fay, [he was graduated at Institute of Technology and later took his degree of Master of Science, holding high position as designer of bridges and general structure work in office of City Engineer of Boston], m. Clara Potter of Quincy, Illinois ; three children living : Beatrice, Mildred and Dorothy.
MARLBOROUGH CITY HALL.
The above architecturally fine building was erected in 1905-6, and
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dedicated July 16, 1906. The expense, not including the land, was $95,000. The architects, Allen, Collens & Berry, of Boston. The builder, Thomas P. Hurley, of Marlborough. The clock was presented to the city by Mr. Winslow M. Warren.
Names of the City Hall Building Commission are as follows : Frederick R. S. Mildon, Charles W. Curtis, Thomas F. Carey, Rufus O. Clark, Charles F. McCarthy, John E. Donahue, Stillman P. Wood, Benjamin W. Johnson, Moise Sasville, Jr., John A. O'Connell, Michael Burke, Charles Favreau, John P. Brown, Walter D. Lepper, Charles F. Holyoke.
The building contains the following offices :
Basement-Street Department, Sealer of Weights and Measures, Poor Department.
First Floor-Mayor, Auditor, City Clerk, Treasurer, Water Com- missioners, Assessors, Collector of Taxes.
Second Floor-Aldermen and Council Chambers, City Solicitor, Committee Room, License Commissioners.
Third Floor -- Galleries, Engineers of Fire Department, Board of Health.
THE MAJOR HENRY RICE HOUSE. .
This was the home of the family of Noah Rice who had married
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THE MAJOR HENRY RICE PIANO.
Sarah Cazneau of Boston, and when she died he married Mrs. Hannah Palfry Cole of the same city. He was a graduate of Harvard College and when he died he left his children his large landed estate. The oldest son Maj. Henry Rice was then a merchant in Boston. His sister Sarah married Heman Seaver well known in Marlborough as "Master Seaver" and they then came here with their children to reside. Master Seaver was for several years Town Clerk and posted and cried intentions of marriage in the meeting houses. After Heman Seaver died, Maj. Henry would come two or three times a week to oversee the work on the farm. The house was a beautiful imposing old homestead standing upon the hill once sloping down in graceful terraces making a land mark of aristocratic bearing and furnished, they say, as no other at that time in Marlborough. In distin-
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guished suit of revolutionary time and fashion, knee breeches adorned with buckles, lace on cuffs and shirt front, wig tied in cue, carrying his gold head- ed cane, he would be driven in his carriage through the street of the town to the awe and admiration of the young and old. No article of furniture was too grand for this house, and one day there came from Boston a beau- tiful rosewood and mahogany, brass inlaid, six legged spinnet within whose drawers weremany sweet old time song sheets of "Bonnie Doon," "Last Rose of Summer" and "Jamie's gone to sea." Years ago the estate fell to Mr. Samuel Boyd who annexed the house to the brick house he had built and called "Rice" after the Major, the quaint old time gentleman of note. All can easily remember the Hotel in this house as carried on by the late warm hearted and generous little lady West a veritable Mrs. Vincent the beloved actress ofBoston, in looks and kindly deeds. (Mrs. West was the mother of Marian who married Mr. John M. Carpenter, a prosperous clothing merhant of Marlborough. They have two sons Seth P. and John F.)
THE HOUSE OF HENRY BARNES, THE LOYALIST, WHERE NOW STANDS THE CITY CENTRAL FIRE STATION.
This was the home of Henry Barnes the Loyalist who came from Boston and built this house in 1763. Bancroft stated the Coggswell house to be the oldest in Marlborough but this cannot be correct according
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to the date of building. Henry Barnes was a man of note, of wealth and enterprise, not a member of the Marlborough family of that name, but was one of 'the largest tax payers in the town and a favorite of the loyal governor who appointed him one of his Majesty's Justice of- the Peace for the county of Middlesex in 1766. He kept a store and "manufactured cider spirits." He was the owner of several slaves one of whom "Daphine" he left to Marlborough, and she was supported from his estate. At the breaking out of the Revolution he sided with the enemy and sheltered himself under the protection of the King's troops.
It was that time when General Gage knew the Province was making military preparations and had collected war like stores at Concord and Worcester, that Mr. Barnes sheltered some British spies who barely es- caped with their lives.
Eventually his loyalty to the old regime compelled him to leave town, his property was confiscated and he died in London 1808 at the age of eighty-four.
According to history, for some months before the open clash at Lexington and Concord the country people were hostile to the British. In the winter of 1775 General Gage, desiring to obtain information regarding the reported collecting of arms and munitions and the activity of the militia, sent out officers to reconnoitre the country.
One of these was Ensign de Berniere, who with a companion, was sent to Worcester county, and who left an account of what happened to him on the journey, with particular reference to Marlborough where he made a halt. The month was February, the weather stormy and the roads bad. He says :
"Nobody took the least notice of us until we arrived within three miles of Marlborough (it was snowing hard all the while) when a horse- man overtook us and asked us whence we came. We said from Weston. He asked us if we lived there. We said no. He then asked us where we resided, and as we found there was no evading his questions, we told him we lived in Boston. He then asked us where we were going. We told him to Marlborough, to see a friend, (as we intended to go to Mr. Barnes, a gentleman to whom we were recommended and a friend to government ) .
" He then asked us if we were in the army. We said no, but were a good deal alarmed at his asking us that question. He asked several rather impertinent questions, and then rode on for Marlborough, as we supposed, to give them intelligence there of our coming, for on our entering the town the people came out of their houses (though it snowed
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and blew very hard) to look at us. In particular a baker asked Captain Brown, ' where are you going, master?' He answered, 'On to see Mr. Barnes. '
"We proceeded to Mr. Barnes' house, and on our beginning to make an apology for taking the liberty to make use of his house, and discover- ing to him that we were officers in disguise, he told us we need not be at the pains of telling him, that he knew our situation, that we were very well known (he was afraid) by the townspeople.
" We begged he would recommend some tavern where we should be safe. He told us we could be safe nowhere but in his house; that the town was very violent and that we had been expected at Colonel Williams' Tavern the night before, where there had gone a party of liberty people to meet us.
" He suspected, and, indeed, had every reason to believe, that the horseman that met us and took such particular notice of me the morning we left Worcester was the man who told them we should be at Marl- borough the night before, but our taking the Framingham road when he had passed us deceived him.
" While we were talking the people were gathering in groups in every part of the town. Mr. Barnes asked us who had spoken to us on our coming into the town. We told him a baker. He seemed a little startled at that ; told us he was a very mischievous fellow, and that there was a deserter at his house.
" Captain Brown asked the man's name. He said it was Sawin ; that he had been a drummer. Brown knew him too well as he was a man of his own company and had not been gone above a month, so we found we were discovered.
" We asked Mr. Barnes if they did get us into their hands what they would do with us. He did not seem to like to answer. We asked him again. He then said he knew the people very well ; that we might expect the worst of treatment from them.
"Immediately after this Mr. Barnes was called out. He returned a little after and told us the doctor of the town Dr. Samuel Curtis had come to tell him he was come to sup with him. Now this fellow had not been within Mr. Barnes' doors for two years before, and came now for no other business than to betray us.
"Barnes told him he had company and could not have the pleasure of attending him that night. Upon this the fellow stared about the house and asked one of Mr. Barnes' children who her father had got with him. The child innocently answered that she had asked her papa, but he told
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her it was not her business. He then went, I suppose to tell the rest of his crew.
"When we found we were in that situation we resolved to lie down for two or three hours and set off at twelve o'clock at night. So we got' some ¿supper on the table and were just beginning to eat when Barnes, who had been making inquiry of his servants, found they intended to at- tack us, and then he told us plainly he was very uneasy for us, that we could be no longer in safety in that town, upon which we resolved to set off immediately, and asked Mr. Barnes if there was no road about the town so that we might not be seen.
"He took us out of his house by the stables and directed us to a by- road, which was to lead us a quarter of a mile from the town.
"It snowed and blew as much as ever I'saw it in my life. However we walked pretty fast, fearing we should be pursued. At first we felt very much fatigued having been not more than twenty minutes at Mr. Barnes to refresh ourselves, and the roads, if possible, were worse than when we came: but in a little time after, it wore off, and we got away without being'pursued, as far as the hills that command the causeway at Sudbury and went into a little wood, where we ate a bit of bread we took from Mr. Barnes' and ate a little snow to wash it down."
The horseman who overtook Captain Brown and Ensign Berniere at a point "three miles from Marlborough" was Captain Timothy Bigelow, of Worcester, of Revolutionary memory. The "Colonel Williams" refered to was Colonel Abraham Williams, of the Third regiment of Middlesex and Worcester Militia.
Mr. William Coggswell, an opulent merchant, coming here from Boston about 1775, bought the place and lived here for some time. One of his daughters, Abigal, married Samuel Gibbon and another, Lydia, married Micah Sherman. The place eventually passed into the hands of Colonel Ephraim Howe, one of the wealthiest men of the town, who had resided near the old Winchester place which was burnt in 1860. The boot and shoe manufactory of Colonel Ephraim Howe was noted as a hive of industry, it being the principal shop for furnishing custom work for the town's inhabitants, and was also the first where sale shoes were made in this vicinity for the Boston market. The credit must be accorded to Colonel Howe of first introducing the system of pegging instead of sewing the soles of boots and shoes to the upper.
Colonel Howe was peculiar in his manner and modes among his workmen, and they, of course, had their opinion of his method. One of the first rules laid down and one of the most imperative was that the
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tongue, all mortals love to use so well, must be mute during the hours of labor, except to obtain information in regard to the work set before them. On one occasion when the work was pressing, a strange journey- man was hired for the season to help on the orders who was not christened " The Silent, " and the surprise of the Colonel may be imagined when at the close of a day's labor he saw the new hand jack his kit pre- pared to tramp, with the laconic remark, much to the amusement of the boys, that " he had worked long enough in a tomb. " After this episode the rule was somewhat relaxed and a broader license given or permission to communicate with each other.
Colonel Ephraim Howe's popularity came not so much from his great abilities as from his firmness of character and stern integrity. His fellow citizens knew where to find him, and after he had taken a position he never proved faithless. He lived at a time of great religious excite- ment, he being one of the leading Universalists when that sect was very obnoxious to the old standing order, and it made him many enemies among those people who were not personally acquainted with him. And because he would emphasize, when a little excited, with language neither polite nor wise, he was by some considered a very wicked man. But he himself thought otherwise, for he was well grounded in the belief that a man who sometimes swore and meant no harm, was quite as good as a man who prayed and meant no good. Those who knew him well bear willing testimony to his generous nature and kindly impulses, and many were the instances related of him which go to show that his religion was based on good works and a desire to be always just. He sincerely sought the interests of Marlborough, his native town, and held with peculiar regard the welfare of the then flourishing Universalist Society of which it may be said he was one of its chief founders.
Quoting Deacon Goodale : "He was of medium height, unusually active and enduring. In character independent, in speech quick and emphatic ; as a soldier courageous and if need be desperate. "
A short story will best illustrate this part of his character. On the 19th of October, 1781, Lord Cornwallis surrendered with his whole army to Washington at Yorktown. After a time the militia was organized and had three grand days, viz., the " May Training, " the " Brigade Muster " and the " Cornwallis. " This last was not obligatory as the first two were. It was held in different towns by arrangement. Attached to this was a body of Indians, improvised for the day, painted and dressed, with squaws and papooses, all under a chief. They were arranged under two heads representing the two armies. The first part of the day was
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spent in marching and countermarching after the famous drummers, Major Wheeler and Aaron Temple, with Dana Brigham as fifer ; John Holden with clarionet and Luke Brooks with bugle. The drums beat, the fifes tooted, the bugles thrilled. Meanwhile the Indians played their ludicrous pranks, to the great glee of the boys, young and old.
After dinner, all were marshalled to the grand display of the final encounter, a real " Sham Fight." All were armed like warriors with swords, guns and tomahawks, but without intent and bullets. We hear the command and the firing begins. Above the thunder and the clamor, we hear the war whoop and the trumpet, we see the running and the rushing of the soldiers, the sly crouching of the savage, and the cool or terrible energy of the officers in their bold and mighty work. It is a miniature battle, a primary school of war. We know it is a sham; see no mangling, scalping or death, yet we cannot divest ourselves of terror entirely.
On this occasion as the fight grew close and spirited, by some chance or foul play, Colonel Howe's sword was wrenched from his grasp and fell into the hands of the enemy. With a fire and resolution that would have done honor to the proudest battle scene on record, he flung himself from the saddle and made a dash for his last ensign of authority and honor. Had this scene transpired at Waterloo or Gettysburg, such a personal charge would have " rung round the world. " And of Colonel Howe it has been written : "He was a resolute, emphatic and brave man in the arena as was Levi Bigelow in the caucus or town meeting. Both were leaders. "
Colonel Ephraim Howe later on sold the Coggswell place to Miss Lavinia Bruce, one of farmer Isaiah Bruce's children. Lavinia was the only child of that large family who had remained unmarried, and having a good trade working from house to house as a tailoress, she purchased this place for herself and parents and had the satisfaction of smoothing the life path of both mother and father in their old age. After her parents died, she married Ebenezer Gale, and after his death the widow Gale's place was for many years an old landmark in the village. Here she lived to nearly ninety years of age, respected by all. After her death this place became the residence of the late Doctor Chamberlain, and in 1908, the place was taken for city purposes and the old landmark demolished.
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CHAPTER V.
CENTRAL FIRE STATION, POLICE STATION, AND COURT, DEDICATED AUGUST 7, 1909.
No history of town or city can be complete without giving some account of the Fire Department, and all honorable mention should be made of the various fire companies, the members of which year after year are ever found at their post of duty, ready to risk life for life and in interest of personal or public property.
Some time between the years 1825 and 1830, the project of procuring a fire engine was started by a few individuals, but the town would give no ear to the proposition. In the year 1831, a man came into town with a fire engine to sell, which was an engine whose tub was filled on the old fashioned pail and bucket system. This was a time for individual effort. All felt that something ought to be done, but no one seemed to be ready to take the initiative, when Deacon S. R. Phelps of the west village, a man often in the very first ranks of progressive movements,
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drew up a paper, headed the list with $25.00 and then carried it around to others. The result was that the necessary $250 was soon subscribed and the engine became the property of a few individuals to be used for the public good.
In the year 1834, another application was made by individuals in the east village. Later, Feltonville purchased themselves an engine by subscription. For several years after this the subject of fire engines was occasionally agitated. Every fire was a practical argument in their favor. Up to 1849 the fire department, such as it was, had been wholly sustained by private individuals. All praise to those older men who contributed of their means for the purchase of the first engine, and all praise to those public spirited young men who organized and sustained a fire company for twenty years without one mill of compensation from the town.
At town meeting March 1, 1849, it was voted that the town purchase three fire engines, provided that each village wherein located would furnish a suitable building for said engine and obligate themselves to keep them properly manned for ten years. The town had now voted to supply the engines, but it would not go a step further. Individuals must do the rest. Lambert Bigelow, Esq., furnished the ground free of expense for the house in the west part, and the house was built by the subscriptions of individuals. In the east part, Judge Ames and Sylvester Bucklin offered the use of their land free of expense so long as Co. No. 1 might use it for said building. From this date there was nothing on the town records, but those of certain sums of money paid out for fire engines, hose, repairs, etc.
June 18, 1849, according to previous notice, legal voters of the west part met with the purpose of forming an engine company. The meeting organized, choosing S. R. Phelps, chairman, and G. Hutchinson, clerk. Chose a committee to draft a constitution and report at next meeting. S. R. Phelps, J. S. Witherbee, Lambert Bigelow, said committee. Voted the engine be named "Okommakamesit. " At a meeting June 25, 1849, they chose Lewis T. Frye, foreman; W. W. Witherbee, assistant foreman ; William Morse, 2d, clerk; hosemen, Charles D. Bigelow, Lyman W. Howe, John W. Brigham, George F. Hayden, Charles H. Brigham, G. W. Loud, A. S. Brigham, Leander Bigelow.
So far as we can learn, the first list of officers of Torrent No. I were : Foreman, S. F. Bueklin; Ist assistant foreman, Hollis Loring : 2d assistant foreman, Samuel Boyd: clerk, Joseph Boyd; treasurer, Amos Cutter.
March 8, 1853, a committee petitioned the Legislature for a corporate
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organization of a fire department. In 1855, a salary of $3.00 a year to each fireman was cheerfully granted. And so from the time when the town would not vote for a house and grudgingly voted the engines, now with scarcely a show of opposition, the city appropriates thousands of dollars to the fire department.
When came the sad news of the Civil War, the members of our fire companies were, as ever, prompt in duty and conscientiously active in their patriotism, and the following names of members who served in the War of the Rebellion went on record.
From Torrent Engine Company No. 1 :
W. W. Willis, 13th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.
Gerhart Gentner,
L. P. Parker,
..
. .
6.
S. H. Parker,
. 6
..
6.
A. C. Morrill.
..
John F. Klenert,
George M. Cuthbert,
John F. Rose,
.
6. . .
..
66
Arthur Parker, 12th
Daniel Regan,
9th
. .
..
Myron Balcom,
Sylvester Rice,
12th 66
in Navy, on board Frigate Brookline.
Thomas O'Malley,
George A. Brigham.
Charles I. Bennett,
Timothy Desmond, Henry A. Perry, George Balcom, William Taylor,
5th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.
..
M. F. Greenwood,
..
..
16th Massachusetts Battery.
59th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.
E. E. Wright,
George Thomson, Allston Stetson,
in Navy.
From Okommakamesit Engine Company No. 2 :
George N. Bridgewater
William R. Witherbee
Herbert E. Putnam
Charles F. Witherbee
Henry Rice
Parker Lawrence
Rufus Howe
Smith J. Lee
Charles H. Underwood
William Baker
G. H. Harris
Eugene L. Howe Thomas Livermore
Frank J. Wood
Isaac G. Maynard
John M. Holt
A. W. Russell
James H. Belser
John M. Russell George Dean Henry O. Lawrence
Edwin Rice
Dexter Hinckley
Edwin Pratt
John H. Howe George A. Atkinson Benjamin F. Russell
. . 66
.. . .
. .
George Smith,
William B. Barnes,
James M. Gleason, 66
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