USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > Historical sketches relating to Spencer, Mass., Volume II > Part 11
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4
REAR VIEW OF THE JOSEPH A. LYFORD HOMESTEAD AT SOUTH SPENCER, Taken about 1879, and the one of all others preferred by J. Chauncey Lyford on account of the associations connected with it,
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with Mr. Haynes one week, when he went down to Lamartine street. The place had a reputation, not altogether enviable, and it was expected that the teacher would have a chance to show of what material he was composed. It was not long before the test was made, nor was the Spencer boy found wanting. He came out literally at the top of the heap and though much turmoil was aroused and an investigation followed, the school authorities had discretion and appreciation sufficient to retain the young man in his place. Having won his spurs, here he continued for seven years, the last two as principal. When the new Winslow Street grammar school was opened he was placed there at its head and for nineteen years in that building he has been making men and women of the young people committed to his care.
Though the hardest of his work days were behind him, he never forgot the folks at home and at the first Thanksgiving, fol- lowing graduation, the brother and sister sent to their dear mother, whose patient fingers had done all the sewing for her large family till that time, a Howe sewing machine. It was by no means the best, but pride in the family name induced the selection. Then, when Christmas followed, they took home a clothes-wringer, for no such labor saving utensil had ever been used in the Lyford domicile before. And today, it is the height of the teacher's ambition to contribute something which shall make happier the mother who is looking towards sunset.
The love for Nature study was unconsciously developed in earliest boyhood, when he went to the pasture for the cows. He then began his lessons in bird knowledge. Plumage, song and nests all made their impression and along with Dr. C. P. Barton of Spencer, he later took up taxidermy. With gun and dog they were able to secure, mount and preserve fully sixty specimens of local varieties and in later years, there being nothing of the sort at the Normal school, this Yankee "Tam" Edwards was able and pleased to present to the institution a large number of nests and eggs. Plant life and its infinite range soon appealed to him and Thoreau's "Week on the Concord and Mer- rimack Rivers" became one of the choice treasures of his early Worcester life. Becoming the owner of a set of water colors he became desirous to depict, in their proper hues and shape, the leaves described in Emerson's "Trees and Shrubs of Massa- chusetts." Early in his teaching came Walter Perry to direct the drawing in Worcester's public schools and he proved to be a friend indeed. Our tyro became a member of the Art Students' Club before he had used a brush at all, but he sketched with Perry and soon set about using water colors and then put in some of the hard work to which he was so used. Perhaps he worked too hard, but he sought success and succeeded.
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Photography became a popular diversion. He made his own camera and went to work. He saw how lantern slides might enhance the interest in school work and he made them by the hundred till now he has more than 3000 to illustrate almost every thing attempted in school life and, what is equally worthy, this has been done with no expense to the city. Let us hope that some day the city will recognize and reward such devotion and ardor.
Years ago, Joseph Jackson, now Principal of the City's English High School, then teaching in Millbury, came up to Worcester to conduct before the Natural History Society a class in botany. Its popularity was phenomenal from the start. The numbers were away and beyond the direction of any one man. The President of the Society said to Mr. Lyford: "You are the man to take the overflow ;" and always ready to work where work was to be done, the young man stepped in and there he remained in this arduous evening labor for seven years, sometimes having as many as two hundred people in his class. The late H. G. O. Blake, ardent student and friend of Thoreau, was wont to look in upon him, and so was formed an acquaintance which afterwards ripened into a pleasant friendship. When at last the teacher felt compelled to give up his labors, there was given him a one hundred dollar bill which he proceeded to invest in an excellent compound microscope, still used by himself and family.
Mr. Lyford has for many years been a speaker before teachers' associations and has contributed liberally to educa- tional publications. His talks, accompanied by lantern ex- hibitions, are always popular and for three successive years he helped make Lyman School boys better. Before churches and all sorts of societies, he has given his representations of New England life and of Natural History. While his own book-mak- ing is confined to Geography of Massachusetts in the Natural Series, published by the American Book Co., his name as an efficient helper appears in the preface of several popular works. Principal Jackson in his "Through Glade and Mead " found Mr. Lyford's illustrations invaluable and Dr. C. F. Hodge of Clark University, in his "Nature Study and Life," acknowl- edges his obligations to our schoolmaster.
In the "Organization of the Public Schools of Worcester" he is put down as one of eight supervising principals exercising certain duties in connection with all the schools in the city. In the capacity of supervisor he comes into direct relations with eight separate schools; while at the same time he is in active charge of three large buildings as principal. He is personally responsible for the work of twenty-three teachers, and upwards
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of a thousand children. He also does regular supervisory work in the evening schools.
In 1879, Mr. Lyford was married to Miss Nettie E. Adams of Fitchburg, a member of the fifth class at the Normal School and with her and their five children, three boys and two girls, he finds the happiest of homes in their Pleasant Street residence west of Newton Hill, where several years ago he was a pioneer in building. His home is his society and club, though he is a charter member of the Bohemians and has been President of the Worcester County Teachers' Association. When the day's work in school is done, he seeks rest and enjoyment among his grow- ing children who with music and all phases of art make home an earthly paradise.
An Unusual Spring Freshet.
An unusual spring freshet occurred in Spencer about 1852 which carried away the Alpha Bemis mill pond dam and his saw and grist mill which was completely destroyed. This building was quite a large one, two-stories high with an upstairs tene- ment from which the Bixby family, known in the annals of Spencer, had removed only a few days previously. This stream, anciently called Pigeon brook, after leaving the pond winds its way to the Boston and Albany railroad, and thence passes under- neath through a large culvert past Still valley into Howe's upper mill pond. This freshet was of such strength that it carried por- tions of the mill up against the culvert, almost preventing the flow of water through it, and compelling its accumulation. When the pond thus made had gathered sufficient weight it burst through the culvert walls, destroyed the same quite a distance underneath the railroad and carried all the stone through into Still Valley. The town employed Abraham Capen to rebuild the road at this point. and believing possession to be ownership in this case, appropriated the stray culvert stones at hand for the use of the town's culvert.
Errata.
Page 36, third paragraph, second line, read lieutenant in- stead of half-tenant.
Page 80, end second line, last verse, read gray instead of gay.
Under picture page 136, read died in Worcester.
Under picture page 137, read died at Stafford Springs, Conn.
IO
BIOGRAPHY OF REV. CHARLES
EDWARD SUMNER.
BY DR. J. F. GAYLORD OF WORCESTER, A FORMER CLASSMATE AND FRIEND
Charles E. Sumner was born in Spencer, December 29, 1836. His parents were Cheney Sumner and Mary B. Coye of Brimfield, Mass. He fitted for college at Leicester and Monson academies and graduated at Yale in the class of 1863. After leaving col- lege he was assistant principal at Delhi academy, New York, for one year. The year following he was called to be principal of Walton academy, New York, which was in special need of a good disciplinarian as well as teacher. He remained there three years, fitting a class of young men for the various colleges, and then resigned to fit himself for the ministry. He took the full course at Andover Theological Seminary, graduating there in 1870.
In 1872 he became pastor of the Lincoln Park church, Chi- cago, and was ordained and installed there in 1873. This church was then young and struggling with difficulties, one man having failed in the effort to build it up. Mr. Sumner entered upon the work with a determination to succeed, and the church was brought into a prosperous condition. The church passed through the ordeal of the famous fire and when it was seen that the edi- fice must perish in the conflagration he with one other man bur- ied the pulpit, carpet and papers. They were subsequently re- covered and can now be seen in the edifice afterward erected. This church is now one of the strong churches of the city.
After leaving Chicago he traveled extensively for more than a year, in Europe, Egypt and Palestine, bringing home with him many foreign views. In the course of his travels he met many noted men, and always was received with great courtesy and respect as a scholar and a gentleman.
On returning he became pastor at Raymond, N. H., from which he was soon called to Lancaster, N. H., where in 1883 his health failed and he again traveled in Europe. Subsequent pastorates were at Alton, N. H., Brooklyn, Ct., Wilmot and
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Northwood Center, N. H. After he gave up pastoral work, he often preached as temporary supply, and among his last remarks was heard to say: "Tell them I will go a great ways to preach Christ." On the Sabbath before his death he preached in one of the Spencer churches.
Mr. Sumner was a man of noble character, of fine Christian spirit and genial and pleasant ways. As a young man in college his conduct was such as becomes a disciple of Christ. The tempta- tions and follies which are perhaps generally supposed to be greater
CHARLES EDWARD SUMNER.
Photo taken about twenty-five years ago, and the only good picture of him extant.
in college than they really are, had no power to lead hini from the path of virtue. His manhood was consistent with the prom- ise of earlier years and in his native town where he had been known from childhood, and where he spent the last part of his life, he was regarded with universal respect and esteem. As a minister of Christ his tastes and habits were scholarly, and he was very earnest and faithful, and loyal to the truths of the gospel. He was so genuine, so conscientious, so positive in his faith, so abid- ing in his trust, that he could not be taken by surprise. He was always watching.
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During the latter years of his life he was a member of the Spencer church and was very useful in that relation, and at his death the church felt deeply his loss. He was never married, but while in Spencer lived with two sisters. He died suddenly March 26, 1902, probably of heart disease, at Fitchburg, whither he had gone on business.
The funeral services were held in the church on the follow- ing Sabbath, which was Easter, and were largely attended.
The Regulators.
The regulators was the name given some fifty years ago to a voluntary organization of young men who undertook to regu- late certain village affairs according to their own standard of right. Opposite the present Boston Branch Grocery, at that time, lived a man who had little regard for esthetic notions, or for what persons thought about his methods in life. An appeal to his so- called better nature, to remove grievances of public concern, on him had no effect. At one time he had a large quantity of white pine logs scattered all around on the fine natural lawn in front of his house. These he let lay year after year until they became worin-eaten and partially decayed, and presented an unsightly object to the eyes of the citizens. The Regulators thought it time the lawn had a chance to develop its beauty, and so put in a pretty good night's work between the hours of twelve and three, pulling and hauling every log to the mill pond then occu- pying land where the Spencer Gas Works now stands and which covered several acres in that vicinity. They were not again placed on the lawn.
The same party owned quite a tract of land on the east side of what is now High street. The road had been laid out and for quite a distance from Main street the old division wall that marked the western boundary of his land was in the town's high- way, and ran at an angle that made its presence unsightly. It was clearly his business to have removed the wall and rebuilt the same on the line. He, however, refused to take action and the regulators considered this another opportunity for legitimate work, so again gathering their members together in the small hours of a summer morning, they removed the obstructing wall by rolling or throwing all the stones helter skelter down grade into his mowing. It may be needless to say that the owner of the wall caused it to be rebuilt on his own land and paid the bills, but not without a vigorous mental protest at the usage to which he had been subjected. Poison ivy grew all along the wall and the swollen hands and faces of the regulators, which developed in the days following, rather gave them away, but no legal action was brought against them and probably had it been could not have been maintained.
REV. MICHAEL A. O'KANE S. J.
BY WILLIAM J. HEFFERNAN
The people of Spencer have been justifiably proud of the distinction which has been earned by Rev. Michael A. O'Kane S. J., as the town may with propriety call him one of her sons, though the first three months of his life were spent in a small township in County Clare, Ireland, his native place.
The influences of heredity and of careful parental training show themselves in the life and character this distinguished priest. His parents, Michael and Bridget O'Kane, were of the best type of the Irish immigrant. The father, a genuine old Irish gentleman, came to America in the spring of 1849, and was one of the first of those of his nativity and of his religion to settle in Spencer. He immediately began the preparations of sending for his family and settling them here. His family must have arrived some time within the next twelve months, for in 1850 he purchased the property at the corner of Chestnut and Valley streets, which was the home, until a few years ago, of the O'Kane (or Kane as it is familiarly abbreviated by most Spencer people) family.
Michael O'Kane first found employment as a farin hand with Otis Howland, who lived at the farm now occupied by John M. Newton. He very shortly changed this pursuit for a place in the finishing department of one of the woolen mills on Valley street, which was his vocation until age compelled him to re- linquish active manual labor. He was shrewd-or in the common parlance of the day, forehanded-in temporal affairs. He made some money in real estate, prudently watched for op- portunities, husbanded his resources, was of correct habits, with the result that the O'Kane family was soon recognized as thrifty and considered eminently respectable. At that time the larger part of the Irish Catholics coming to Spencer clustered their homes in the section of the town near the woolen mills. The O'Kane family was the first to own a piano -- the members of the family all being musically inclined-and in those days the ownership of such an instrument, among the people of that section, was sufficient title to a claim of the next thing
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to opulence. Though Michael O'Kane diligently attended - to business and husbanded his resources, yet he was most kind and charitable, with a " heart as big as a house." The O'Kane dwelling was the gathering place for the Irish immigrants com- ing to Spencer in the earlier years of emigration. Mr. Q'Kane would. extend an old country welcome to every son of the old sod who would come along, and house and entertain a fellow-
REV. MICHAEL A. O'KANE S. J.
countrymen until they found employment and could stand for themsvesl. At one time, it is related by an old resident, there were thirteen chests in the O'Kane barn, belonging to people of this character, whom Mr. O'Kane was assisting in their start in life in the new world. One grateful old man, Mr. Patrick Eagan was wont to state in after years that "Michael O'Kane did as
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much for the Irish Catholic people in Spencer as Daniel O'Connell did for the people of Ireland."
If, however, Rev. Father O'Kane's friends are able to trace some of his traits of executive ability and power over men to the influences of the parental side of the house, they can with great justice attribute to the maternal influence much of the pious zeal and fervid faith which seems to have animated the eminent preacher in his work of saving souls and educating young men. Bridget O'Kane, his mother, also a native of County Clare, was known throughout her life for humble piety and devotion to
MICHAEL O'KANE, (Copy by Currin.) Born in County Clare, Ireland, 1801; died in Spencer, 1878.
family and faith. She was born in 1810 and passed to her eternal reward in 1885.
The pioneer priests in this section made the O'Kane house- hold their headquarters and possibly from this source young --- Michael may have drawn some of his inspiration-at any rate we find him in early years one of the sanctuary boys in old St. Mary's church. In later years this acquaintanceship with the clergy has kept up and the O' Kane family is widely known among the men of the cloth as one of the representative Catholic
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families of Spencer. There were nine children, but only four survive. The surviving members of the family living in Spencer are Patrick, Mary, wife of Hugh Kelly, and Richard M. The names of those deceased are: Sarah, John, Bridget, Thomas and Eliza.
Rev. Michael A. O'Kane was born in County Clare, Ireland, July 12, 1849. He was but three months old when his mother brought her little family across the Atlantic.
After passing through the common schools and the Spencer High he entered Holy Cross college. Always he had been studi- ously inclined and early showed great aptitude for mathematics, in which he was a recognized authority in later years, when acting in the capacity of a teacher. His father would have him become a secular priest, when young Michael early showed an inclination toward the church, but the young inan had an ideal in mind and stuck to it, even refusing financial assistance, often tendered him, toward his education, telling those who proffered such that " he preferred to work out his own salvation," and by teaching largely helped himself through college. In 1867 he left Holy Cross college and joined the Society of Jesus, (Jesuits) in which organization the members give up all title to things temporal and are devoted exclusively to the work of the Master -- and the tasks are by no means of the nature of a sinecure. At Woodstock college, Maryland, he pursued philosophical and theological studies, spending nine years devotedly to this educa- tion. In 1876 he was sent to Georgetown college to take the position of professor of classics and remained there six years, alternating in the professorships of philosophy and classics. For the next four years he was prefect of studies at Georgetown and for two years vice president. In August, 1887, he was made rector and master of novices at the novitiate at Fredericksburg, Md., the home of the Jesuits. This position he held for two years and then in 1889 was appointed president of Holy Cross college at Worcester, a great gratification to his Spencer friends because of the high honor thus conferred, reflecting credit upon himself and the town, and because they were thus able to get more frequent glances at the humble yet eminent divine, as he occasionally visited his home here.
Holy Cross college, during Fr. O'Kane's administration of four years, made some great strides and a number of radical changes in its policy. Fr. O'Kane found the college with 250 students, but saw it grow until the 300 students cramped its quarters and the great addition which doubled the facilities and equipment of the institution was planned and begun. Fr. O'Kane was then and still is a great lover of pure athletics and as a result the fine base ball ground and grand stands at the
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west of the college were built, a magnificent gymnasium com- pleted in the new building, including swimming tank, etc. The exterior of the college addition had been completed when Fr. O'Kane was transferred to the arduous tasks of the Mission band. . In 1893, he joined this band, which has traveled through all parts of the United States reviving dormant religion in the hearts of the Catholic people by their "missions." In 1894 Fr. O'Kane was made leader of the band, with headquarters at 16th
MRS. BRIDGET O'KANE. (Copy by Currin )
Born in County Clare Ireland, 1810; died in Spencer, 1885.
Street, New York. He has proved a tremendous power in this work. Not long ago the Ontario, Canada, papers contained a magnificent tribute to the results of a mission held there by Fr. O'Kane and his helpers, when 900 men took the total abstinence pledge from him. A Bridgeport, Conn., paper recently told of his work there, when after one week's mission 460 people were confirmed and thirty converted. He has a deep powerful voice, a manner so honest, convincing, eloquent, fervent and spiritual that today he is recognized as one of the great est powers in mis- sion work in the church.
The work at Holy Cross college perhaps brought Fr. O' Kane more notoriety and placed his talents before the public in a man-
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ner, but today he probably is achieving the greatest work of his life, though he does it with apparent small effort. There are no breathing spells in the work of the mission priest; it is one con- stant, steady grind, day in and day out, with long hours and little recreation; but Fr. O'Kane appears to have that perfect equipose of temperament to do this work easily-the mental to comprehend, the motive to push forward and the vital to en- dure. This harmonious balance of temperament enables him to make extended and sustained effort without friction between mind and body and thus accomplish an amount of work which would break down the majority of men not so happily endowed by nature. He is a great and good man.
Stone Buildings.
A cotton mill built of stone once stood below the dam near the gas house. Here Henshaw & Eldridge carried on business some fifty-five or more years ago and until the factory was destroyed by fire.
Just south of the present Waldo House, on the edge of the mill pond which at that time covered several acres of land, stood a stone blacksmith shop, built and owned by Capt. Jeremiah Grout. At the west end was an extension built of wood and used as a wheelwright shop. In this building worked Henry B. Hale, father of Franklin M. Hale of High Street. His little daughter Hattie, about four years of age, had been to the shop with a brother to carry their father's dinner. Stopping outside to see a horse prancing, the little girl becaine frightened, backed off into the water, and at once floated toward the penstock then located in the northwest corner of the pond, in the saine place as the one at the present time.
Mr. Henshaw and a hired man witnessed the accident and took measures at once to rescue the girl who had now passed out of sight. They first shut off the water but this plan continued would have left the little one stranded and unconscious in the penstock They then let on the water full head and Mr. Henshaw got into the square upright open penstock connected with the one from the pond and stood ready to catch the girl as she came through. This she soon did, having passed one hundred and sixty feet underground. It took some time to resuscitate her, but it was at last accomplished, amid general rejoicing.
DEDICATION OF THE SAMUEL BEMIS MONUMENT
BY ALONZO A. BEMIS, D. D. S., SECRETARY
The unveiling of the monument to the memory of Samuel Bemis and Saran Barnard, his wife, and the dedication of Bemis Memorial Park, took place Tuesday, October 29, 1901.
Exercises of much interest to the descendants, in which the citizens of the town heartily entered, were then carried out in the presence of a large number of people, on one of the most charm- ing days ever vouchsafed to New England.
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