USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > Historical sketches relating to Spencer, Mass., Volume III > Part 19
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After a month's drill in tactics the regiment went to Wash- ington and encamped at Clouds Mills, Va., about four miles from Alexandria. His brigade commander was Brig. Gen. Abram Duryee of the noted Duryee "Zouaves," belonging to the army of Gen. Pope.
Lieut. Wilson was promoted to the command of his company July 28, and participated in the battle of Cedar Mountain, Aug. 9, 1862. At the bloody engagement of Second Bull Run, Aug. 28 to 29, his regiment lost nearly one-fourth of its numbers. Two weeks later they marched fifteen miles and stormed and carried a rebel position on South Mountain, for which Capt. Wilson was complimented before his company by the commanding general.
The Battle of Antietam followed, where he received a slight wound from a piece of shell striking his sword belt. Dec. 13, 1862, occurred the Battle of Fredericksburg, in which he was again slightly wounded in the ankle. The army went into win- ter quarters at Belle Plains, Va. and again engaged the enemy at Chancellorsville, May 1-4, 1863.
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MAJ. WM. C. WILSON
The first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, his command lost heavily and Capt. Wilson was taken prisoner, breaking his sword before yielding it to his rebel captors. Together with many other Union officers captured, he was offered parole, but refused, preferring imprisonment to dishonorable withdrawal from his country's service.
Several hundred prisoners were marched 165 miles, under great privation, to Staunton, Va., where they were entrained for Richmond. On July 18, 1863, began the many weary months of captivity within the walls of Libby Prison. For facts concern- ing the cruel treatment received in this noted prison, it is only necessary to refer to the many histories written since the war. It is doubtful if Capt. Wilson would have survived, had he not for- tunately received several boxes of clothing and provisions sent to him from his home in Spencer. He was transferred May 7, 1864, to Danville, Va., and during the following ten months was quar- tered in prison encampments at Macon, Charleston, Columbia, and Charlotte, N. C.
On Feb. 16,1865, he escaped from the last mentioned place, by running from the spring outside the camp, while the two rebel sentinels guarding it were looking towards the camp for their relief guard.
After twenty-eight days of hard and perilous marching, miostly by night, over a mountainous country, secretly aided by the colored people and a few loyal whites, he reached the Union lines at Knoxville, Tenn. Maj. Wilson remained in the service some months after Lee's surrender, then received honorable dis- charge.
He engaged in market gardening, near Little Neck, L. I., till 1870, when ill health compelled him to relinquish a prosper- ous business. Maj. Wilson was a frequent writer in the N. Y. Times and Tribune on the financial question, which agitated the country during the second administration of Gen. Grant. In 1875 he established in Philadelphia Wilson's circulating li- brary and book store, which in the following twenty years be- came a popular library of 60,000 volumes, with branches at At- lantic City, Germantown and elsewhere.
He was an ardent enthusiast in the game of chess, acting many years as treasurer of the Franklin Chess Club of Philadel- phia. He played with Zuckertort, Steinitz and Walbrodt, of whom a Philadelphia paper said : "He ( Wolbrodt) had a splendid record, having gone through an international tourney without losing a game. On April 2, 1893, he met Mr. Wilson, who played the defence in capital style, fully holding his own, and as
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
a matter of fact, he obtained the upper hand, and if Walbrodt, on his 32d turn, had not brought about the exchange of Queens, he was likely to lose the game."
On the night of Aug. 16, 1897, Maj. Wilson was brutally murdered in his store and library, 1117 Walnut street, Philadel- phia. That robbery was the motive for the crime was evident from the rifled condition of the body and all places where val- uables were supposed to exist.
Although the best detective skill was employed, no clue has ever been obtained of the authors of the dastardly crime. Maj. Wilson was not known to have had an enemy in the world, and he was held in high esteem by his many patrons and friends in the City of Philadelphia. - Lowell M. Muzzy, Chatham, N. Y.
"
THOMAS R. WHITTEMORE
Town Treasurer of Spencer during the Civil war and up to Dec. 9, 1867, when he went away with a large sum of the town's money. He was finally traced to Kentucky and in company with Luther Hill returned to Spencer, where he turned over to his bondsmen all the money in his possession, besides his entire property, giving his individual notes to the amount of twelve thousand dollars, which presumably represented the total de-
THOMAS R. WHITTEMORE. Born at Roxbury, Mass. Died at Great Falls, N. H.
ficiency. It is not to be supposed that these notes were ever paid, the loss falling on the bondsmen, Isaac Prouty and Erastus Jones. While no one condoned his wrong doing, his repentance was so hearty and evidently so sincere that nearly every one sym- pathized with him in his affliction. He was a man of such genial
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
qualities of mind and heart that he had been universally known as Uncle Whittemore. Building a house beyond his resources and unusually aggravating domestic troubles are said to have been the incipient causes of downfall. After a settlement with his bondsmen he obtained a situation as clerk at the Great Falls Hotel, Somersworth, N. H., and remained there until his death, honored and respected by all.
Nicknames
For quite a good many years before the Civil war the passion for giving nicknames to everybody and everything in town ran riot among some of the workmen in the boot shops. "Biney," a name given to Henry M. Jones, was one that survived and is noted elsewhere in this book. "Tona" was a name given to Lyman A Powers, brother-in-law to Mr. Jones, because of his musical ability. For years and apparently for no good reason. the Jenks tavern and stables were known to every one as " The Stackpole." A saloon, supposed to be a place for nothing but mild drinks, kept in the basement of the old Universalist church, was known only as the "Rat Hole;" and the list might be multiplied indefinitely.
Breaking the Pitcher
The following is a true story and happened in Spencer, but it has gone the rounds of the world, evidently without its true origin being known. The chief actor was the foremost man in town, a man of quick temper, and when exasperated, given to the use of vigorous expletives. His wife was the owner of a choice pitcher which she valued beyond price. One winter evening her husband took pitcher and candle and started for the cellar and cider barrel. Cider drinking in those days was univer- sal. On this memorable evening her husband stumbled on the stairs and landed at the foot considerably injured. As he lay groaning the wife appeared at the cellar door and said: "James, did you break the pitcher?" Nettled by her greater solicitude for the pitcher than for himself he replied: "No, but I
will !" and suiting action to word threw it violently against the cellar wall. The crash grated on the ears of the spouse, who for the rest of her life regretted her indiscreet inquiry and its consequences.
A
"SHINPLASTERS"
The war of 1861 had hardly begun when gold and silver went to a premium and out of circulation. Banks and merchants hoarded hard money as fast as it came in and put it into their strong boxes to await further developments. It did not take long to strip the people of their customary medium of exchange. Copper coins alone were left in the field for the reason that their intrinsic value was less than their face value. Between the cent and the dollar bill nothing in the way of money was in sight.
LAR RENCE
January 1/1865.
MEMORANDUM CHECK when out of Change
Good for
CENTS
In qust umas whey presented pi evenDollars
FAC SIMILE OF " SHINPLASTER " SCRIP
At this juncture postage stamp money came into use and it became difficult for the government to supply stamps fast enough for the demand. While this measure of relief was a great boon to the people, stamps were not a satisfactory substitute for silver. They were small, easily torn and soiled, easily stuck together by moisture, and although stamp pocket books came into general
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
use the objections remained. To better facilitate exchange, banks and merchants put up packages of stamps in small envelopes, marking on the outside the value within, usually ten, twenty-five or fifty cents. But a better currency was demanded and soon corporations, banks, merchants and individuals began to issue small notes over their various signatures, guaranteeing redemp- tion in sums of one dollar or over, usually at some State bank, for National banks were not then established. Issues of this character were called "shinplasters " and were a great improve- ment over postage stamps. After a time the government came into the field with an issue of fractional currency which proved to be an acceptable substitute for silver, and private bills went out of circulation almost as rapidly as their predecessors in silver and stamps.
In 1874 the writer acquired some of the fractional cur- rency and with other paper money mounted and framed it and placed the same in Spencer Public Museum where it may now be seen. During the time of the "shinplaster " currency, Luther Hill supplied Spencer with all that was needed, made redeemable at Leicester bank. No sample, however, of this issue . has been found. though diligent search has been made, but the fac-simile of a bill is shown which was issued by Mr. Hill from Lawrence, Kansas, where he had a store, and this is substan- tially a representation of the Spencer notes.
COPPERHEADS
This was a name much used during the Civil war to desig- nate northern men who sympathized with the Confederacy. It is probable that in every considerable community north there were some who belonged to this class, although in New England the percentage was small. It is thought there were not over twelve such men in Spencer, nearly half of whom lived in and around Spencer depot, as the village now known as South Spencer was then called. These men were strangers to that intense feeling of patriotism which animated the mass of the people, and seemed to be as impassive, immobile and dead to the supremacy of the Northern cause as men of stone. On the other hand they were all alive with enthusiasm at every Southern success, and having from youth been in the habit of expressing their views without let or hindrance they were very much sur- prised to find their words of praise for the South and of condem- nation for the North aroused so intense a feeling of indignation among their fellow citizens. But they soon awoke to the fact that they unconsciously had aroused a spirit that would brook no opposition and to learn that there was one subject, at least, on which free and unrestrained speech would not be tolerated, even in law abiding Spencer.
Three of them were separately taught lessons in patriotism without bodily harm or injury to property, and these lessons were heeded by all of that class, on the ground probably, that discretion was the part of wisdom. One of these cases, that of Ruel Jones, was treated in Volume 2, page 131.
Another is that of Fiske Guilford, a well-to-do farmer living a mile or more southwest from Spencer depot on a farm now owned by Aaron D. Woodbury. He was one of the most persistent offenders of northern patriotic sentiment, and he had been advised by some of his friends to place a bridle on his tongue, but to no purpose. His words at last aroused an intense feeling of indignation which soon crystalized into action, and resulted in a body of union men, most of whom afterwards served as soldiers, marching one evening to the residence of Mr. Guilford, surrounding his house and demanding his presence outside. They had brought with them the stars and stripes all nicely mounted, hammer and nails and a ladder. If he came out of his
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
own accord no harm should befall him, but if he resisted he would be taken out by force, whatever the consequences. So after a little parleying he very carefully opened the door and faced his accusers. He was then commanded to nail up the flag staff on the south-east corner of his house near the roadside This he did and was then requested to salute the flag. He complied with this command also but in so feeble a voice that it plainly showed to what extent he was acting under the dominion of fear. But his action was satisfactory to the crowd, who, after warning him not to take down the flag, left him to his own reflections. It was some three weeks after this before he put in
THE FISKE GUILFORD HOUSE
an appearance at Spencer depot and then it was as a meek and inoffensive citizen. He had learned a lesson. "Old Glory" contin- ued to wave at his home long after the war ended and until it was utterly frayed out. Mr. Guilford was a penurious man. Having broken a leg, he refused the assistance of a surgeon on account of the expense ; blood poisoning set in and he died, leaving behind the money he so much valued, a small portion of which would probably have purchased for him additional years of life and strength.
Another case developed at South Spencer as the result of an understanding between Daniel K. Rathbun, station agent, and Charles H. Giffin, freight agent. Spencer depot at this time was
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COPPERHEADS
the only telegraph station in town, and with the intense war spirit then prevailing there was nearly all the time quite an assen- blage of men at that point to hear and discuss the latest war news. Messages were taken off the wires by the operator as they passed along between more important stations. A man in middle life frequented the place whose expressed sentiments were as obnoxious as those of Fiske Guilford. To teach him a lesson Rathbun and Giffin outlined a plan which young men from the village helped execute. Rathbun obtained a rope suitable for hanging, and one evening when all was ready. came out of his office, threw it to the boys and said: "Boys, now rope him." At the same time Giffin said in a loud voice: "Rathbun, you get that kettle of tar and I'll get the feathers." The latter part was all bluff; no tar and feathers ha i been provided, but the offending party sensed a serious situation and like a frightened hare, at once fled from the station double quick over the tracks, pursued by the crowd with all the speed at their command. The pur- sued party made for the home of Thomas Sullivan. a long low one-story building. Here he gained entrance. bolted the door, called on Mrs Sullivan to save him and crawled under the bed. The woman was a known fighter and threatened to kill the first man who should break the door, but no attempt was made. Rathbun and Giffin had followed on and at this stage commanded a retreat as they thought the scare effectual. It surely had been and the party thereafter was very guarded and discreet in his utterances. He was thoroughly indignant however at the treat- ment and knowing that Henry F. Adams, son of Francis Adams Jr., deputy sheriff, was one of the crowd he appealed to the sheriff for advice as to what legal action he should take. Mr. Adams replied: " If my boy has violated any law have him arrested, same as you would any other man." Discretion how- ever prevailed and no arrests were attempted.
Another copperhead advised his son, a youth of fourteen, to write a school composition denouncing the North in scathing terms. This he did, but it was not allowed to be read. Miss Sarah Fales, teacher at District No. 9, told the boy that such es- says were out of order and never again to bring such a compo- sition to her school. The command was heeded.
Another copperhead lived at Spencer depot and later had a son in each of the contending armies. When the 10th regiment of soldiers started off on the cars for Springfield, cheer after cheer followed them. This was too much for the pent up indignation of this man. The day was warm, his house filled with women and windows all open. He was outside on the lawn with a few male companions. As he
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
heard the cheers he became wild with frenzy and three times throwing high his hat into the air gave each time vent to his feelings in language too vulgar to print or to hear. His wife admonished him of the presence of women. He didn't care a d --. He had got to express himself. but it appears he cooled down after this, for in the days following he maintained a com- mendable silence regarding his love for the Southern cause.
PINE GROVE CEMETERY
Mr. Benjamin N. Kinney, the eminent sculptor of Worces- ter, and intimate friend of W'm. Otis Bemis, the Spencer artist, (see Vol II, Page 12) in his frequent visits to his former pupil and friend, noticed, as he passed by, the beautiful location for a cemetery on the bluff overlooking Seven Mile river and on the Hillsville road. He acquired the property and laid it out for burial purposes in 1845 and thus became a real benefactor to the town. The leading citizens of the town, perceiving the desir- ability of the location for the purpose, mentioned, took measures to purchase the same, which they did in August of the same year for the sum of three hundred dollars and one burial lot. Later they organized under the laws of the state corporation, called the Pine Grove Cemetery Association. This corporation has been and now is one of the most beneficent institutions in town, doing a public work of the utmost importance without ostentation or parade or money compensation to the men who have had the di ection of its affairs. Additional land being required, an ad- joining tract was purchased in 1854 of Washington Hill and an- other in 1873 of Waldo Wilson The Corporation now has ample space besides one of the most beautiful and desirable loca- tions for burial purposes in Worcester county and the property is yearly made more attractive as funds for permanent improve- ments become available.
Following are the names of donors to the permanent ceme- tery fund with the sum contributed by each. This money is safely invested in savings banks in the name of the Corporation and the interest annually applied to the maintenance of individ- ual lots, excess, if any, for the general care of the grounds. The sum should be largely increased and doubtless will be.
LEGACIES.
David Prouty Fund $5,000
Henry R. Green Fund $200
Richard Sugden Fund 5,000 Sarah E. Green Fund 200
Andrew Bravo Fund 1 500 Geo. F. Grout Fund 200
Nathaniel Myrick Fund 1,000 Wm. L. Thompson Fund 200
Theodore C. Prouty Fund 1.000
Daniel Clapp Fund 150
Ann Maria Guilford Fund 800 Annetta Russell Fund 150
Thomas Clark Fund 500 Wm. Henshaw Fund 100
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
Geo. P. Prouty Fund $500 Ezra Bennett Fund $100
Henry W. Bemis Fund 500 Henry H. West Fund 100
Wm. White Smith Fund 400 Ann E. Cummings Fund 100
John L. Bush Fund 300 Vian A. Snow et al 100
Mary B. Cutting Fund 200 Hiram Howe Fund 100
Charlotte Rice Fund 200 John Moore 2nd 100
OTHER PROSPECTIVE FUNDS.
Jeremiah Grout Heirs Fund Martha L. Grout Fund D. B. Learned Fund
$100
200
150
The following citizens have served the Corporation as treas- urers:
1847 to 1855, Charles E. Denny
1855 to 1862,
Jeremiah Grout
1862 to 1863, John L. Bush
1863 to 1866, Jeremiah Grout
1866 to 1867, Eli J. Whittemore
1867 to 1877. Theodore C. Prouty
1877 to 1879, John N. Grout
1879 to 1890. John Boyden
1890 to 1897,
Henry P. Howland
1897 to 1904,
E. Harris Howland
The Soldiers' Lot
One of many charitable acts of this association, as its records show, was the free gift of land for a soldiers' and sailors' burial lot. The enacting vote was passed at a meeting held March 26, 1897 and is as follows:
Voted that the Corporation set apart a plot of ground to be for- ever used as a burial place for deceased sold'ers and sailors who have served in the United States service and that Post 37 G A. R. of Spencer, Mass., be invited to select a committee to join with the directors in selecting a suitable lot and that they be allowed to beautify said lot at their discretion subject to the approval of the Cemetery Corporation.
Voted that Dr. A. A Bemis be invited to join Post 37 G. A. R.3 and the directors of the Cemetery Corporation in selecting said lot. ?.
Complying with the above request Post 37 G. A. R. chose Charles H. Allen, George P. Clark and Jarvis H. Jones a com- mittee to represent them. The committee of the whole in: due time met at Pine Grove, and after viewing several sites, decided on the present location as in all respects most desirable. They
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PINE GROVE CEMETERY
SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT AND GROUNDS, PINE GROVE CEMETERY, SPENCER
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
say in their report to the town in 1899: "Realizing the import- ance of a spacious lot, our selection was a plot of land on a knoll in the northwest part of the cemetery commanding a view of most all parts of the cemetery, and prominent in sight of the road. The lot is to be of oblong dimensions with a gravel walk around it, a circular avenue bounding the front and three orna- mental plots of land, one on each end and one in front. '
The committtee completed their work and reported to the town meeting held April 2, 1900, as follows :
" The Committee submit their report on the completion of the burial lot for soldiers and sailors at Pine Grove Cemetery. The lot was finished in time for the Memorial Day services of 1899, which were held at the consecrated spot over the grave of the first soldier to be buried therein. Elias H. Freeman. The grading of the land on the site chosen and the markers placed thereon met with the general approval of the public Spencer may feel proud that they now have a final resting place for her brave men who have and may render their country service in her time of need, especially those who are left at last alone without the ministration of family friends. We may well feel proud of our burial lot; it is surpassed by no other town of our size."
CHARLES H. ALLEN, JAMES H. AMES, ALONZO A. BEMIS GEORGE P. CLARK, E. HARRIS HOWLAND, JARVIS H. JONES, HEZEKIAH P. STARR,
Committee.
The expense of fitting up the grounds and furnishings amounted to nearly four hundred dollars, borne largely by the town. The mortar and four stacks of cannon balls were secured as a loan to the town from the United States, through the kindly representation of Congressman Joseph H. Walker of Worcester.
Keith Memorial Chapel
Mrs. Mary Ann Keith, donor of the Memorial chapel in Pine Grove cemetery was the daughter of Zepheniah and Prudence Lathe of Charlton, Massachusetts. and was born March 1, 1809. She died at East Douglas, March 4, 1901, aged ninety-two years, four days, the widow of Royal Keith, whom she married in July. 1879. Her first marriage was to Daniel Clapp, June 10, 1829.
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PINE GROVE CEMETERY
He was a well-to-do farmer who owned the farm on Pleasant street of Joseph Butler, recently deceased. She was known in Spencer only as Mrs. Daniel Clapp. The couple were well mated and were active and efficient in caring for the sick and promoting every good cause. Mr. Clapp was the town sexton. In those days the town took charge of burials and paid the bills. Mrs. Clapp therefore became familiar with the needs of cemetery work, and "her interest in the cemetery was manifested more particularly after the death of her younger son, Carlos, a youth of some thirteen summers. He was a great lover of flowers
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THE KEITH MEMORIAL CHAPEL, Pine Grove Cemetery, Spencer.
which led her to cultivate them there, and her work seemed to perpetuate his memory in that way. At the time of the burial of Daniel Clapp, who had been living for many years at Shrews- bury, George B. Clapp of Boston, the eldest son, proposed that a suitable sum of money be raised to build a chapel and agreed to head a subscription paper with a generous sum. Mrs. Keith promised to double the amount, but the proposition did not meet with a hearty response and later she decided herself to donate a sum sufficient for the purpose as the desire was still dear to her heart. Her purpose was carried out in her will, which provided a legacy of one thousand dollars. Her recollections of Spencer dated back to her early married life, and her happiest hours
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
seemed to have been connected with its people and her ministra- tions to their needs when sick. Her death closed a long life of industry, integrity and usefulness."
The legacy in due time came into the treasury of the Pine Grove Association and was duly acknowledged in appreciative words on its records. A committee was appointed with power to obtain plans and let contracts. After carefully canvassing the matter a satisfactory plan was adopted and the contract for build- ing the same awarded to S. Gleason Warren. The structure
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