USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Historical sketch of Groton, Massachusetts. 1655-1890 > Part 14
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THE GROTON STAGE-COACHES .- During the first half of the present century Groton had one charac- teristic mark, closely connected with the old taverns, which it no longer possesses. It was a radiating centre for different lines of stage-coaches, until this mode of travel was superseded by the swifter one of the railroad. Wayfarers from the surrounding towns off' the line of travel came hither daily in private
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vehicles to engage their seats and take their passage. During many years the stage-coaches were a distinct- ive feature of the place ; and their coming and going were watched with great interest, and created the ex- citement of the day. In early times the drivers, as they approached the village, would blow a bugle in order to give notice of their arrival ; and this blast was the signal at the taverns to put the food on the table. More than a generation has now passed away since these coaches were wont to be seen in the vil: lage streets. They were drawn usually by four horses, and in bad going by six. Here a change of coaches, horses and drivers was made.
The stage-driver of former times belonged to a class of men that has now disappeared from the com- munity. His position was one of considerable respon- sibility. This important personage was well known along the route, and his opinions were always quoted with respect. I easily recall the familiar face of Aaron Corey, who drove the accommodation stage to Boston for so many years. He was a careful and skillful driver, and a man of most obliging disposition. He would go out of his way to bear a message or leave a newspaper ; but his specialty was to look after women and children committed to his charge. He carried also packages and parcels, and largely what to-day is intrusted to the express. I recall, too, with pleasure Horace George, another driver, popular with all the boys, because in sleighing time he would let us ride on the rack behind, and even slacken the speed of his horses so as to allow us to catch hold of the straps. In youthful dialect, the practice was called " ketching on behind."
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Some people now remember the scenes of life and activity that used to be witnessed in the town on the arrival and departure of the stages. Some remem- ber, too, the loud snap of the whip which gave in- creased speed to the horses, as they dashed up in ap- proved style to the stopping-place, where the loungers were collected to see the travelers, and listen to the gossip which fell from their lips. There were no telegraphs then, and but few railroads in the coun- try. The papers did not gather the news so eagerly nor spread it abroad as promptly as they do now ; and items of intelligence were carried largely by word of mouth.
The earliest line of stage-coaches between Boston and Groton was the one mentioned in the Colum- bian Centinel, April 6, 1793. The advertisement is headed "New Line of Stages," and gives notice that-
" A Stage-Carriage drives from Robbins' Tavern, at Charles-River Bridge, on Monday and Friday, in each week, and passing through Concord and Groton, arrives at Wyman's tavern in Ashley [Ashby] in the evenings of the same days ; and after exchanging passengers there, with the Stage Carriage from Walpole, it returns on Tuesdays and Sat- urdays, by the same route to Robbins's.
The Charlestown Carriage drives also from Robbins' on Wednesday in each week, and passing through Concord arrives at Richardson's tavern, in Groton, on the evening of the same day, and from thence returns on Thursday to Robbins'.
"Another Carriage drives from Richardson's tavern in Groton, on Mon- day in each week, at six o'clock in the morning, and passing by Richard- son's tavern in Concord, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, arrives at Charles- town at three o'clock in the afternoon. From Charlestown it drives on Tuesday and Thursday in each week, at three o'clock in the afternoon and returns back as far as Richardson's tavern in Concord-and from that place it starts at 8 o'clock in the mornings, of Wednesday and
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Friday, and runs again to Charlestown. From there it moves at six o'clock on Saturday morning, and returns to Richardson's tavern in Groton, in the evening of the same day."
It was probably one of these "Carriages" to which allusion is made in Mr. Winthrop's "Memoir of the Honorable Nathan Appleton," as follows :
" At early dusk on some October or November evening, in the year 1794, a fresh, vigorous, bright-eyed lad, just turned of fifteen, might have been seen alighting from a stage-coach near Quaker Lane,1 as it was then called, in the old town of Boston. He had been two days on the road from his home in the town of New Ipswich, in the State of New Hampshire. On the last of the two days, the stage-coach had brought him all the way from Groton in Massachusetts ; starting for that purpose early in the morning, stopping at Concord for the passengers to dine, trundling them through Charlestown about the time the evening lamps were lighted, and finishing the whole distance of rather more than thirty miles in season for supper. For his first day's journey, there had been no such eligible and expeditious con- veyance. The Boston stage-coach, in those days, went no farther than Groton in that direction. His father's farm-horse, or perhaps that of one of the neighbors, had served his turn for the first six or seven miles ; his little brother of ten years old having followed him as far as Town- send, to ride the horse home again. But from there he had trudged along to Groton on foot, with a bundle-handkerchief in his hand, which contained all the wearing apparel he had, except what was on his back." -Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, v. 249, 250.
It has been said that the first public conveyance between Boston and Groton was a covered wagon, hung on chains for thoroughbraces; but this was probably subsequent to the time of the advertisement. It was owned and driven by Lemuel Lakin, but after a few years the owner sold out to Dearborn Emer- son.
The following advertisement from the Columbian
1 Now Congress Street.
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Centinel, June 25, 1800, will give a notion of what an undertaking a trip to Boston was at the beginning of the century :
" GROTON STAGE.
" The subscriber respectfully informs the public that he drives the Stage from Boston to Groton, running through Lexington, Concord, and Littleton, to Groton : Starts from Boston every Wednesday morning, at 5 o'clock, and arrives at Groton the same day ; Starts from Groton every Monday morning, at 7 o'clock, and arrives at Boston the same day at 4 o'clock. Passage through, 2 dols. per mile, 4d.
" DANBORN EMERSON.
"Seats taken at Mr. SILAS DUTTON's in Royal Exchange Lane. News- papers supplied on the road, and every attention paid to conveyances."
The given-name of Emerson was Dearborn, and not "Danborn," which is a misprint. Two years later he was running a stage-coach from Groton to New Ipswich, New Hampshire ; and on the first re- turn trip he brought three passengers,-according to the " History of New Ipswich " (page 129). Emerson was a noted driver in his day; and he is mentioned with pleasant recollections by the Honorable Abbott Lawrence, in an after-dinner speech at the Jubilee of Lawrence Academy, on July 12, 1854, as appears from the published account of the celebration. Sub- sequently he was the landlord of one of the local taverns.
It is advertised in The Massachusetts Register, for the year 1802, that the-
" GROTON Stage sets off from J. and S. Wheelock's [Indian Queen Inn], No. 37, Marlboro'-Street [now a part of Washington Street, Bos- ton], every Wednesday at 4 o'clock in the morning, and arrives at Gro- ton at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, same day; leaves Groton every Monday at 4 o'clock in the morning, and arrives in Boston at 6 o'clock in the afternoon, same day." (Pages 19, 20.)
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It seems from this notice that it took three hours longer to make the trip down to Boston than up to Groton,-of which the explanation is not clear. In the Register for 1803, a semi-weekly line is advertised, and the same length of time is given for making the trip each way as is mentioned in the Register of the preceding year.
About the year 1807 there was a tri-weekly line of coaches to Boston, and as early as 1820 a daily line, which connected at Groton with others extending into New Hampshire and Vermont. Soon after this time there were two lines to Boston, running in op- position to each other,-one known as the Union and Accommodation Line, and the other as the Telegraph and Despatch.
One of the drivers for the Telegraph and Despatch Line was Phineas Harrington, popularly known along the road as "Phin " Harrington. He had orders to take but eight passengers in his coach, and the trip was made with remarkable speed for that period. " Phin " was a man of small size; and the story used to be told of him that, on cold and stormy nights, he would get inside of one of the lamps fixed to the box, in order to warm his feet by the lighted wick! He passed almost his whole life as a stage-man, and it is said that he drove for nearly forty years. He could handle the reins of six horses with more skill than any other driver in town. Mr. Harrington died at Dracut, on May 23, 1870, aged eighty years, two months and nine days.
William Shepard & Co. advertise in The Groton Herald, April 10, 1830, their accommodation stage.
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" Good Teams and Coaches with careful and obliging drivers will be provided by the subscribers." Books were kept in Boston at A. M. Brigham's, No. 42 Han- over Street, and in Groton at the taverns of Amos Alexander and Joseph Hoar. The fare was one dol- lar, and the coach went three times a week.
About this time George Flint had a line to Nashua, and John Holt another to Fitchburg. They adver- tise together in the Herald, May 1, 1830, that " no pains shall be spared to accommodate those who shall favor them with their custom, and all business in- trusted to their care will be faithfully attended to." The first stage-coach from this town to Lowell began to run about the year 1829, and John Austin was the driver. An opposition line was established soon after- ward, and kept up during a short time, until a com- promise was made between the two lines. Later, John Russ was the owner and driver of the line to Lowell, and still later, John M. Maynard the owner. Near this period there was a coach running to Wor- cester, and previously one to Amherst, New Hamp- shire.
Fifty years ago General Thomas Adams Staples was a well-known stage proprietor. He was a man of large frame and fine proportions, and is still remem- bered by many residents of the town. He was born in Boston on July 20, 1804, and died at Machias, Maine, on November 13, 1880.
The following is a list of some of the old drivers, who were well-known along their respective routes. It is arranged in no particular order and is by no means complete ; and the dates against a few of the
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names are only approximations to the time when each one sat on the box.
Lemuel Lakin was among the earliest ; and he was followed by Dearborn Emerson. Daniel Brooks drove to Boston during the period of the last war with Eng- land, and probably later.
Aaron Corey drove the accommodation stage to Boston, through Carlisle, Bedford and Lexington, for a long time, and he had previously driven the mail- coach. He was succeeded by his son, Calvin, the driver for a few years, until the line was given up in 1850. Mr. Corey, the father, was one of the veter- ans, having held the reins during thirty-two years ; he died March 15, 1857, at the age of seventy-three.
Isaac Bullard (1817-30), William Smart (1825-30), George Hunt, Jonathan Buttrick, Obadiah Kendall, Albert Hayden, Charles Briggs, Levi Robbins, James Lord, Frank Brown, Silas Burgess, Augustus Adams, William Dana, Horace Brown, Levi Wheeler, Tim- othy Underwood, --- - Bacon, Horace George (1838- 45), Leonard Williams Cushing (1842-45) and Joseph Stewart,-these drove to Boston. After the stages were taken off, "Joe " Stewart was the driver of the passenger-coach from the village to the station on the Fitchburg Railroad, which ran to connect with the three daily trains for Boston. The station was three miles away, and now within the limits of Ayer.
Among the drivers to Keene, New Hampshire, were Kimball Danforth (1817-40), Ira Brown, Oliver Scales, Amos Nicholas, Otis Bardwell, Abel Marshall, the brothers Ira and Hiram Hodgkins, George Brown, Houghton Lawrence, Palmer Thomas, Ira Green,
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Barney Pike, William Johnson, Walter Carleton and John Carleton. There were two stage routes to Keene, both going as far as West Townsend in com- mon, and then separating, one passing through New Ipswich and Jaffrey, a northerly route, while the other went through Ashby, Rindge and Fitzwilliam, a southerly one.
Anson Johnson and Beriah Curtis drove to Wor- cester ; Addison Parker, Henry Lewis Lawrence, Stephen Corbin, John Webber, and his son Ward, drove to Lowell; the brothers Abiel and Nathan Fawcett, Wilder Proctor and Abel Hamilton Fuller, to Nashua.
Micah Ball, who came from Leominster about the year 1824, drove to Amherst, New Hampshire, and after him Benjamin Lewis, who continued to drive as long as he lived, and at his death the line was given up. The route lay through Pepperell, Hollis and Milford.
The forerunner of this Amherst stage was a one- horse vehicle, which used to go over the road each way two or three times a week, and carry the mail. It began to run about the year 1820, and took pas- sengers as occasion required.
Other reins-men were John Chase, Joel Shattuck, William Shattuck, Moses Titus, Frank Shattuck, David Coburn, - Chickering, Thomas Emory and William Kemp, Jr.
The sad recollection of an accident at Littleton, re- sulting in the death of Silas Bullard, is occasionally revived by some of the older people. It occurred on February 3, 1835, and was caused by the upsetting of
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the Groton coach, driven by Samuel Stone, and at the time just descending the hill between Littleton Com- mon and Nagog Pond, then known as Kimball's Hill. Mr. Bullard was one of the owners of the line, and a brother of Isaac, the veteran driver. The Colum- bian Centinel, February 5, 1835, contains the fol. lowing account of the affair :
" From Briggs's News Room Bulletin."
" On Tuesday afternoon [February 3], as the Groton and Keane mail- stage was returning to this city, in a narrow pass of the road in Little- ton, one of the fore wheels of the stage came in contact with the hind wheel of a wagon, which suddenly overturned the stage .- There were eleven passengers in the vehicle at the time, who, with the exception of Mr. Silas Bullard, of this city, and Mr. Washington Shepley, of Groton, escaped uninjured. Mr. Bullard was seated with the driver at the time of the accident, and was thrown, with great violence, to the ground, the stage falling immediately upon him. His collar-bone and two of his ribs were broken, shoulder blade dislocated, and otherwise injured. He was conveyed to a private dwelling, where he has the best medical aid, but his recovery is very doubtful. Mr. Shepley's injuries were of an in- ternal nature, but not such as to prevent his immediate return to Gro- ton. A passenger states that no blame can be attached to the driver."
Mr. Bullard died on February 5th, and the Centinel of the next day pays a worthy tribute to his char- acter.
Besides the stage-coaches, the carrier-wagons added to the business of Groton, and helped largely to sup- port the taverns. The town was situated on one of the main thoroughfares leading from Boston to the northern country, comprising an important part of New Hampshire and Vermont, and extending into Canada. This road was traversed by a great number of wagons, drawn by four or six horses, carrying to the city the various products of the country, such as
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grain, pork, butter, cheese, eggs, venison, hides; and returning with goods found in the city, such as mo- lasses, sugar, New England rum, coffee, tea, nails, iron, cloths, and the innumerable articles found in the country stores, to be distributed among the towns above here. In some seasons it was no uncommon sight to see forty such wagons passing through the village in one day.
In addition to these were many smaller vehicles, drawn by one or two horses, to say nothing of the private carriages of individuals who were traveling for business or pleasure.
THE GROTON FIRE DEPARTMENT .- The first fire- engine in Groton was made in the year 1802, by Lo- ammi Baldwin, Jr., then a law-student in the office of the Honorable Timothy Bigelow, but who after- ward became a civil engineer. He was a son of Loammi and Mary (Fowle) Baldwin, and born at Woburn on May 16, 1780 ; and after his graduation at Harvard College, in the class of 1800, he came to Groton in order to study the profession of law. Like many others he does not seem to have found out at the start his proper calling, as his tastes were naturally for mechanical science and the kindred arts. While following his studies here, a house, situated just south of the academy grounds, was burned down in the winter-time and there was no fire-engine to stop it. The neighbors had to fight the flames as best they could, with snow as well as water. By this incident he became so impressed with the need of an engine in Groton, that with his own hands he constructed the first one the town ever had. This identical machine,
TORRENT
C
1802
FIRE ENGINE "TORRENT," "' 1802.
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known for a long time as Torrent, No. 1, is still ser- viceable after a use of more than eighty-eight years, and will throw a stream of water over the highest roof in the town. It was made in Jonathan Loring's shop, then opposite to Mr. Boynton's blacksmith-shop, where the ironwork was done. The tub is of copper, and bears the date "1802." Mr. Baldwin, soon after this time, gave up the practice of law, and became distinguished in his new profession.
The following description of the engine is found in The Firemen's Standard (Boston) for April, 1884: ' " The old 'machine ' has a quaint appearance with its copper tub on which is inscribed its name, TORRENT, No. 1, and its ancient tool box which bears the date of its birth, 1802. The said tub is three feet six inches long, two feet two inches wide, and twenty-two inches deep. On its bottom rests an oak plank in which are set the valves and in which stand the brass cylinders and air chamber, the former of which being each five inches in diameter and sixteen inches high. A gooseneck on the top of the air chamber serves as the outlet for the water and a reel is attached to the hind part of the tub capable of carrying one hundred feet of two-inch hose, the first supply of which was made at the harness shop and sewed with waxed thread" (page 4).
Among the active members of Torrent Company, nearly fifty years ago, was Elijah Tracy, a deaf-mute, who attended the stated meetings, and turned out at the fires, with as much regularity as his more favored comrades.
At two different times within sixteen years, Torrent, No. 1, has done most excellent service in putting out fires, and it is the testimony of all acquainted with the facts, that on each of these occasions it prevented a serious conflagration. Notably this was so at a fire which took place early on Sunday morning, October 26, 1884, when a dwelling-house, owned by Andrew
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Robbins, was burned down. At this time Mr. Dix's buildings, in very close proximity, were in great danger, but they were saved through the efforts of the Fire Department and the use of the old engine, which was worked to good advantage in narrow quarters, where the other engine could not be taken. The other occasion was when Walter Shattuck's store was burned down on November 17, 1874; and largely by means of this engine the Congregational meeting- house was saved from destruction.
Torrent, No. 1, until recently, was housed at the end of a row of horse-sheds, near the First Parish meeting-house, but in the year 1885 it was transferred to West Groton, for the protection of that part of the town. It was there placed in the charge of a volun- teer company of young men ; and on April 5, 1886, the town voted to authorize the Board of Engineers to form a permanent company in that village, which was accordingly done, with the volunteer association as a nucleus. The engine has been re-named, and is now known as the Squannacook. An engine-house, next to the new church on Groton Street, has been built, which was formally opened with appropriate ceremonies, on the evening of December 30, 1887. In the upper story is a hall for public meetings, where, on January 6, 1888, the company gave a ball. A pamphlet was printed (Ayer, 1887, 12mo, pp. 8), enti- tled "Constitution and By-Laws of Squannacook En- gine Co., No. 2, West Groton, Mass.," which sets forth the rules of their government.
The Union Engine Company was organized in the spring of 1830, and the immediate occasion of its for-
GROTON. 209
mation was the series of incendiary fires that occurred during the year 1829. Presumably the name of the engine company was taken from the Union Congre- gational Church in the immediate neighborhood ; and the engine was housed at the easterly end of the horse-sheds, situated on the northerly side of the meeting-house.
The following notice in the Groton Herald, May 8, 1830, is addressed to the subscribers for the engine :
"TAKE NOTICE.
.ITTHE Subscribers to the New Engine are hereby requested to meet H at ALEXANDER's Hotel, MONDAY the 10th inst., at 6 oclock, P.M. to hear the report of their Committee, chosen for the purpose of purchasing an Engine, and to transact any other business which they may think expedient.
" ELIJAH WHITON,} "T. A. STAPLES. Committee. " Groton, May 8, 1830."
A Board of Engineers of the Fire Department was originally appointed in April, 1875, by the selectmen, in accordance with Chapter 35 of the Public Stat- utes. Their first report was made in the spring of 1876, and printed in the Town Report of that year. A new engine, known as the Lawrence, was bought in August, 1875, and is kept in the town-house. The following is a list of the chief engineers, with the dates of their several appointments, which are made by the selectmen :
April 10, 1875, George Sumner Graves. April 22, 1876, Charles Blood. April 24, 1877, Charles Blood. April 22, 1878, Charles Blood. April 23, 1879, Charles Blood. April 17, 1880, Charles Blood. April 20, 1881, John Gilson.
14
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April 21, 1882, John Gilson.
March 20, 1883, John Gilson.
March 29, 1884, George Sumner Graves.
March 18, 1885, George Sumner Graves.
March 15, 1886, Charles Woolley.
March 26, 1887, Charles Woolley.
April 2, 1888, Charles Woolley.
April 1, 1889, Charles Woolley. April 1, 1890, Charles Woolley.
Groton Fire Club .- The Groton Fire Club was form- ed during the winter of 1815; and the immediate oc- casion of its organization was the burning of John Wethered's dwelling on Wednesday evening, Febru- ary 1, 1815. This house stood at the lower end of Main Street, and some years previously had been owned and occupied by Dr. Oliver Prescott, Senior. Mr. Wethered was from Wilmington, Delaware, and came to Groton from that State. According to tradi- tion the dwelling was set on fire by a negro in his em- ploy, who had been a slave at the South.
On November 7, 1814, Mr. Wethered bought the place of Dr. Oliver Prescott, Jr. ; and three months later the house was burned, as has been stated. On April 29, 1816, Mr. Wethered sold it to Robert C. Ludlow, of Boston, a purser in the United States Navy, who, at this time, in connection with Commo- dore Bainbridge and Charles W. Green, was interest- ed in the ownership of the Lakin farm, where they were then raising sheep. On September 25, 1817, Purser Ludlow sold it to Joshua Nash, who ten years later became the father-in-law of the late Bradford Russell, Esq., of Groton.
The present house on the same site was built about the year 1826 by Miss Susan Prescott, afterward Mrs.
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John Wright, for the accommodation of her school for girls, a famous institution more than sixty years ago. After Mrs. Wright's occupation of the place, it passed into the hands of Dr. Amos Farnsworth, and since that time there have been several owners. The house is now kept as a tavern.
The first meeting of the Fire Club was held on February 4, 1815, when the Honorable James Pres- cott was chosen president of the association, and Ca- leb Butler, Esq., secretary. The club used to meet annually, for the choice of officers, at one of the pub- lic-houses in the village, when a supper was served ; and sometimes on such occasions members of one of the engine companies would be invited to join in the festivities. Each member of the Fire Club was re- quired to provide two leather buckets and a fire-bag, which were to be always ready for use; and a failure to take them to a fire was met with a fine. Among some of the descendants of the early members these articles are now treasured as heirlooms.
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