USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > Historical sketches relating to Spencer, Mass., Volume IV > Part 15
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quart of hard cider. This beverage was one extremely satis- factory to her taste and she would drink immoderately when- ever she had the chance. To her one quart was simply a good drink and nothing more.
One day she called on the Howlands and as usual Mr. Howland went down cellar and soon returned with his usual supply of cider which was set before her. She needed no second invitation to drink, glass after glass following each other down into her capacious stomach with many a loud peculiar smack of her lips. She was well intoxicated when she came but the additional quart of hard cider was more than brain could stand and maintain its equilibrium. She called for more cider. "You have had too much already, " said Mr. Howland. Lifting up her hand and extending the index finger towards her host she said : "Mr. Howland, a little too much cider ain't quite enough for old Aunt Easter." She didn't get any more however, at that time. Her host, although a cider drinker, was a temperate man and used to relate this story with evident pleasure.
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
It is doubtful if she ever slept in a bed. At her home cer- tainly she had none, and she always refused such accommoda- tions wherever she went. The hard kitchen floor was good enough for her and there she slept in true Indian style. She died in her cabin, October 12, 1860. Everbody thought she was a centenarian and the bell at the Center tolled one hun- dred times, but this was an error, for her grand-parents were married only ninety-eight years prior to her death. As show- ing the esteem in which she was held her funeral was largely attended by the inhabitants of the town. Such men as Hiram
and Frank Howe were bearers. Rev. William J. Hambleton, the M. E. minister, conducted the services, and she was buried in the private cemetery, noted above, now owned by Maria L. Sibley. Her son, William Humphrey, was now the leading representative of the family. He lived about in various places, but for a long time on Pine Island, near Spencer Depot (des- cribed in Vol. 1). Here he gained a livelihood making baskets and barn brooms from yellow birch. But they all died and went the way of the earth, with hardly a trace left behind to show they once lived. There is, however, one descendant of Mrs. Humphrey, Mary E. White of North Spencer, whose por- trait is herewith given, but the strong qualities of the Indian are dominant in both her features and character. She was the last survivor or representative in this vicinity of the Indian tribe that possessed the land. Her maiden name was Mary E. Humphrey. In 1887 the ancient Indian reservation of land for the Dudley Indians at Dudley, was sold by order of the probate court and from this sale and the proceeds were equally divided among the remnants of the tribe. This amounted +o $61.62, and this sum was paid to Mary E. White of this town and all other descendants of the Pegan tribe who were twenty- one and living July 23, 1869.
For a great many years one of the above tribe of Indians was a familiar figure in Spencer. His name was Levi Taha, but he called himself and was known as Lambscott. He was a good farm hand and worked much of the time for Joseph Garfield. He represented himself to be a Spaniard and indeed resembled men of that nativity, but when he got old and ready to die he went to Webster among his own people about 1874. He disregarded sidewalks and whenever seen in the village was on foot and in the middle of the road.
Joseph Noka, a nearly full-blooded Indian of the ancient Narragansett tribe, worked under the direction of the writer about a year in 1881. He was a stone-cutter by trade and cut most of the Ashler work in the wall in front of and to the east
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INDIANS AND NEGROES.
of the residence of Mr. C. N. Prouty. He remembered hear- ing his grand-mother Noka conversing in the tribal tongue.
The residence of most of the negroes who have been in Spen- cer for the last fifty years, has been on the whole quite transitory. William H. Young, a young negro, was living here in 1863, was drafted, went into service and made a good soldier. After the war he returned and lived here or in Brookfield until his death in 1900. He was buried at East Brookfield. It used to amuse people when showing them scars on his back received when a slave to hear him say, "dose scars will surely carry me to my grave."
THE WASHINGTON MOVEMENT
The Washingtonian temperance movement commenced in 1826, but its influence in stirring the people of Spencer io united action did not culminate until 1841*, when a society was organized, which seems to have been the most popular temperance association ever established in Spencer. During its life of eleven years its membership comprised nearly five hundred people, including many of the leading men of the town.
Dr. Charles Jewett, one of the pioneer temperance workers, and perhaps chief apostle in New England, in lecturing and or- ganizing societies, says of the conditions prevailing in 1826: "More than one-tenth of our male population who had passed the age of thirty were occasional if not habitual drunkards, and yet on all public occasions intoxicating liquors, the cause of all this mischief, were present. At auctions, military train- ings and elections, at the raising of houses and barns or bridges, at public celebrations, on New Years days, annual Thanks- givings, at funerals, and even the ordination of ministers the presence of intoxicating liquors was deemed indispensible. They were relied upon to sustain the farmer during the severe labors of having and harvest and the best men then living
*There had been temperance meetings held in town prior to this date. How many and under what circumstances is not known, but there were two held on the same day between the years 1833-39 while Rev. Gilman Noyes, pastor of the Universalist church, was stationed here, which were addressed by Father Taylor, a M. E. preacher known the world over as the pastor of Seamen's Bethel, Boston. The afternoon meeting was at the Universalist church and Reverends Tavlor, Packard of the Congregational church, and Noyes, all sat in the pulpit. This was appropriate for men all laboring in the meeting for one particular end. But a change appeared in the evening program. The three reverend gentlemen marched up an aisle of the Congregational church, Rev. Mr. Packard les ding, followed by Rev. Mr. Noyes, Father Taylor bringing up the rear. When opposite his church pew, the Congregational pastor unbuttoned the pew door, ushered Rev. Mr. Noyes in and buttoned him in. He probably thought it would never do to have a Uni- versalist minister sit in his pulpit. Such an innovation, even for advocating temperance, could not be. entertained. Father Taylor made a mental note of this procedure and as he came down out of the pulpit with the church pastor and Rev. Mr. Noyes was being let out of the pew, made these remarks to the latter and in hearing of Mr. Packard : "My dear sir, I should be delighted to have you come to some of our services whenever you are in Boston and one thing I can assure you in advance, you will find no doors or buttons on our pews ; nor none on my pulpit either. You will be cordially welcomed to it and to a seat at my side.""
Mr. Packard was a man, who, if now living, would be called a strict con- structionist. While all agree as to his moral worth most all agree that his mind was so constructed that it seemed impossible for him to view questions of religion or morals except in a dogmatic way.
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THE WASHINGTON MOVEMENT.
drank them freely and many such men were engaged in the traffic." Many of the people of Spencer were at last awak- ened to the evils of intemperance and proceeded to take de- cided measures in order to prevent the sale and immoderate use of liquors as far as possible. The records now will largely be followed.
At a meeting of the friends of temperance assembled in the town hall on Monday evening, August 9th, 1841, Rev. Levi Packard was chosen chairman and the following preamble was unanimously adopted :
"Preamble and Constitution of the Washington Temperance Society of Spencer.
"We whose names are hereunto annexed, believing that the use of intoxicating liquor, as a beverage, is not only need- less but hurtful to the social, civil and religious interests of men-that it tends to form intemperate habits, and that while it is continued the evils of intemperance will never be done away, do, therefore agree that we will not use it, nor traffic in it-that we will not provide it as an article of entertainment, or for persons in our employment and that in all suitable ways we will discountenance the use of it throughout the community and for that purpose do form ourselves into a society and adopt the following Constitution :
"Article 1st. This Society shall be called The Washing- ton Temperance Society of Spencer.
"Art. 2nd. The officers shall be a President and Vice Presi- dent, a corresponding and recording Secretary and a Treasurer, and a committee of five who with the Officers named above shall constitute a Board of Managers.
"Art. 3rd. The officers shall be chosen by ballot at the annual meeting of the Society, each Officer retaining his office until another be chosen in his place.
"Art. 4th. The annual meetings shall be held some time in the month of November of each year, at which meetings the Constitution may be altered or amended by a vote of a majority then present.
"Art. 5th. It shall be the duty of the members of the Society by a kind and friendly intercourse, to help each other in sustaining the pledge inviolate.
"Art. 6th. Any person may become a member of the So- ciety by signing the pledge, and any one may retire from the Society at any time, when he shall signify to the Recording Secretary a wish to that effect in writing and the name of any
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
one who has violated his pledge and cannot be induced to re- turn to it, may be erased by a majority vote at a regular meet- ing of the Society."
This constitution did duty until 1850, when a new one was adopted, the principal changes being the charge of an entrance fee to men and the payment of small annual dues.
The officers elected at the first meeting were as follows: James Draper Esq., president; Alonzo Temple, vice president ; Jeremiah Grout, corresponding secretary; George H. Liver- more, recording secretary; Silas Eldridge, treasurer; William Henshaw, Walter Sibley, Bloomfield Green, Charles Newcomb, and Jabez Green, committee of five.
At an adjourned meeting of the Washington Temperance Society held August 29th, 1841, the following business was transacted :
"The Recording Secretary being absent Levi Packard was chosen Secretary Protem. It was voted to choose a commit- tee to circulate the pledge in the several school wards in town. Joel Grout was chosen to circulate it in Wards Nos. 1 and 2, James Draper in Ward No. 3, Joseph W. Morse in Ward No. 1, Plummer Prouty in Wards Nos. 5 and 6, Harvey Bush in Wards Nos. 7 and 8, and Alonzo Temple in Wards 9 and 10. It was voted to choose a committee of two to inquire if anything can be done to change the character of the taverns. James Draper and Alonzo Temple were chosen for that committee.
"LEVI PACKARD, Sec. Protem."
At a meeting of the Washington Temperance Society heid in the town hall, September 20th, the following question was discussed : "If alcohol is useful as a medicine, ought not the physicians who prescribe it to deal it out as they do other medicine ?" After the debate the following resolution was passed by a vote of the society, "Whereas it is often thought advisable to use distilled liquor as a medicine, and whereas the acquisition of the same for that purpose is often attended with many unhappy consequences, therefore resolved : That we as a body do most earnestly recommend to our practicing phy- sicians to furnish and administer it as other medicine when necessary."
Annual meeting for the choice of officers agreeable to the Constitution, was appointed November 22, 1842. but in conse- quence of the rain was adjourned to November 25th, of the same month.
At an adjourned meeting of the Washington Temperance Society held at the town hall, November 25th, the following officers were chosen by ballot and other business transacted as
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THE WASHINGTON MOVEMENT.
follows: Lewis Bemis, president; Silas Eldredge, vice presi- dent; Jeremiah Grout, secretary; Walter L. Sibley, treasurer; Nathaniel Eldredge, Samuel L. Pillsbury, Martin Hersey, Dex- ter Bullard and W. L. Powers, prudential committee.
"Voted to choose a committee of one in each of the school wards in town, whose duty it shall be to circulate the tem- perance pledge for subscribers. Made choice of Ruel Jones in Ward No. 1, Joel Grout in Ward No. 2, Jabez Green in Ward
JEREMIAH GROUT
No. 3, Edward Prouty in Ward No. 4, Plummer Prouty in Ward No. 6, Charles Newcomb in Ward No. 7. Harvey Bush in Ward No. 8, William Sampson in Ward No. 9 and Doctor Jonas Guil- ford in Ward No. 10.
"Voted that the Secretary provide the ward committees with temperance pledges.
"Voted to choose a committee of three to procure wood and light for the town hall during the coming winter. Made
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
choice of Jabez Green, Alonzo Temple and Joel Grout, a com- mittee.
"Voted that the Rev. Mr. Page procure a lecturer of his own order to give a lecture to the temperance society of Spen- cer, in the town hall on Monday evening, December 6th, being the first Monday of December next.
"Voted to adjourn this meeting to the first Monday of December next at 6 o'clock P. M.
"JEREMIAH GROUT," Secy.
"December 6th, 1841. Agreeable to an adjournment the temperance society met this evening, and the following ser- vices were performed and other business transacted : 1st, Temperance Ode by the choir; 2nd, Prayer by Rev. Mr. Page; 3rd, Temperance Ode by the choir; 4th, Lecture by Rev. Mr. Landers of Worcester. After which the Rev. Mr. Packard proposed that the Society tender their thanks to the Rev. Mr. Landers for his spirited and interesting address this evening, to which the Society unanimously agreed by vote.
"Voted that the Rev. Mr. Packard procure a lecturer to deliver an address on temperance in the town hall in two weeks from this evening. The temperance pledge was then produced to which fifteen subscribed their names.
"Benediction by Rev. Mr. Landers.
"JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
"December 14th, 1841. Nathan Crosby Esu., agent for the Massachusetts Temperance Union, addressed the .cold water army in the afternoon, and the citizens generally in the even- ing. After which fourteen persons became members and don- ers of the Massachusetts Temperance Union.
"JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
"December 20th, 1841. The temperance society of Spen- cer met this evening, agreeable to an appointment and services were performed as follows: 1st, Temperance Ode by the choir ; 2nd, Prayer by Rev. Mr. Trask of Warren; 3rd, Temperance Ode by the choir; 4th, Lecture by Rev. Mr. Trask. Hon. James Draper then moved that the Society return their thanks to the Rev. Mr. Trask for the able address delivered this even- ing, to which the Society agreed by vote. Voted to adjourn this meeting for two weeks from this evening, for free discus- sion, as no lecturer is expected.
"JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
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THE WASHINGTON MOVEMENT.
"January 3, 1842. Agreeable to the adjournment a very few members of the Society met, but no business of importance was done and the meeting was dissolved.
"January 18, 1842. The Rev. Mr. Austin of Sturbridge then delivered an interesting and instructive lecture to the temperance society of this town.
"J. GROUT, Clerk."
"January 9, 1843. The Washington Temperance Society then met at the town hall in Spencer, and was called to order
"SQUIRE" DRAPER
by the president, Lewis Bemis, and the following business tran- sacted :
"1st. Voted that this be our annual meeting for the choice of officers.
"2nd. Made choice of the following officers by ballot, viz : William Pope Esq., president ; Alonzo Temple, Joseph W. Morse, vice presidents; Jeremiah Grout, secretary and treas- urer.
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
"3rd. The following gentlemen were chosen by nomina- tion as a prudential committee, viz: Jabez Green, Silas El- dredge, George H. Livermore, Harvey Busl., and Dexter Bullard.
"4th. Voted to open a subscription in this book for the purpose of procuring money to defray the expenses of said society.
"The question then arose: 'Is it a violation of the pledge for any member to make and sell currant wine for sickness or for the communion tables.' The question was ably discussed by Rev. Mr. Packard, Hon. James Draper and others in the negative, and as there was no one who advocated the affirma- tive it was settled in the negative without a vote.
:'5th. Voted that the President be directed to give the Rev. Mr. Packard an invitation to deliver a temperance lecture at this place in two weeks from this evening.
"6th. Voted to adjourn this meeting for two weeks at 6 o'clock in the evening at this place.
"'JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk." "January 23, 1843. Agreeable to an adjournment the tem- perance society met this evening and the following were the doings of the meeting: 1st. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Packard; 2nd, Singing by the choir; 3rd, Lecture by Rev. Mr. Packard; 4th, Singing by the choir; 5th. Voted that the officers of the society give the Rev. Mr. Merrell an invitation to give a tem- perance lecture in two weeks from this evening.
"6th. Voted to adjourn this meeting two weeks. "JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
"1843, February 7. In consequence of the ill health of the Rev. Mr. Merrell the meeting was deferred.
"1843, February 20. The temperance society then met and listened to a very able address from the Rev. Mr. Merrill, after which the society voted to choose a committee of one in each school ward in town to circulate the pledge, but upon more deliberate consultation it was thought by the society that by choosing such committees that the work would not be done and the following gentlemen volunteered their services, viz: Ward 3, James Draper Esq. ; 4, Jeremiah Watson; 6. Plummer Prouty ; 7, William G. Muzzy ; 8, Luther J. Clapp; 9, Richard Mills; 10, William Bemis 2nd.
"Voted that the committee report their doings at our next meeting.
"Voted that our next meeting be at this place (the town hall) on the first day of -March next.
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THE WASHINGTON MOVEMENT.
"Voted to choose a committee of five for to make arrange- ments for the cold water army on that day. Made choice of James Draper, Nathaniel Eldredge, Alonzo Temple, Richard Mills and Aaron Watson.
"Voted to adjourn the meeting to the first day of March next.
"JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk." "1843, March 1st. At one o'clock P. M., the cold water army then met at the town hall, where the meeting was opened by prayer by the Rev. Mr. Packard, after which singing by the. juvenile choir, declamations and dialogues by the boys and girls, addresses by Mr. Packard, Rev. Mr. Merrill senior, Hon. James Draper, and others, interspersed with excellent music by the North Spencer brass band, all of which was performed with so much apparent interest, that gave good evidence that all present made all the effort to promote the cause of temperance in their power, and that it was a profitable and! happy meet- ing.
"At 6 o'clock P. M., the society met at the same place to hear the report of the committee, who volunteered to circulate the pledge and the following is their report and the addition to the society since the last meeting :
"In seven of the school wards in town the committee re- turned 202 names over the age of fifteen who had pledged them- selves to abstain from all intoxicating drinks. After hearing a number of interesting addresses, the meeting was dissolved. "JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
"April, 1843. The temperance society then met at the ves- try to hear a temperance lecture from a Mr. Newton of Wor- cester, a reformed man, which was a very respectable address, and for his services the society contributed to him the sum of two dollars and eighty-eight cents.
"JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
"May, 1843. The temperance society then met at the vestry to take into consideration the doings of the selectmen* in depriving the temperance society of the town hall, their former place of holding their meetings and voted that the officers of the society address a communication to the selectmen upon the subject.
"Voted that a committee of three be chosen to consult with the retailers of ardent spirits in town, and to prevail upon them if possible to peaceably abandon the traffic. Made choice of Richard Mills. Joseph W. Morse and Amos Kitteridge.
*Selectmen for 1843 were Wm. Baldwin, John N. Prouty, Thomas B. Clark, Joshua Prouty, Russell Sibley.
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
"After some spirited remarks upon this traffic and the doings of the selectmen, the meeting was dissolved.
"JEREMIAH GROUT. Clerk."
"May 22, 1843. The temperance society then met at the vestry to hear the reports of the officers of the society in rela- tion to a communication by them transmitted to the selectmen, concerning the shutting of the town hall from the society, but as no answer had been received, no report could be made by the officers.
"Also to hear a report of the committee, chosen to consult the retailers of spirituous liquors in town. Their consulta- tions, as their report says, had but little or no affect, as the re- tailer in North Spencer (Jonas Wilson), had previous to their interview cleaned all the spirit from his store and bar and con- cluded to sell no more, and others who were in the traffic, could not be prevailed upon to stop peaceably, but said they would continue to sell, disregarding and trampling upon the laws of our state.
"After discussing the subject, what would be the most practicable means to stop the traffic, it was passed over by an- other article being brought up, viz: Who can we obtain for a lecturer at our next meeting ? This article was settled by a vote, that the officers of the society procure one.
"The violation of the pledge was then brought up and in- dividuals implicated, or rather charged with breaking it. It was reported that Dr. Aaron Green was the man who, the very next day after signing the pledge, did, at the public house in the lower village, drink intoxicating liquors, which he, only twenty hours previous had promised and pledged himself that, from which he would entirely abstain. Voted to choose a committee of three to ascertain the truth of the above charge. Made choice of Alonzo Temple, Richard Mills and Jeremiah Grout.
"Voted to adjourn this meeting two weeks from this even- ing at fifteen minutes before eight o'clock at this place, pre- cisely.
"JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk." "June 5, 1843. The committee who was appointed to as- . certain the truth of the report in regard to the violation of the pledge by Dr. Aaron Green reported that there was sufficient evidence that he was guilty of the charge made against him in three different towns; whereupon the society voted, that the name of Aaron Green ,be erased from the pledge, and be considered no longer a member of this society.
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THE WASHINGTON MOVEMENT.
"An answer from the selectmen, to the president and secre- tary of this society in relation to the use of the town hall, was then read, and voted to place it upon file, for the benefit of posterity *.
"Voted to choose a committee of three to consult with the physicians and others in town in regard to the propriety of some persons being licensed in town to sell ardent spirit for medical purposes. Made choice of Lewis Bemis, Jeremiah Grout and Alonzo Temple.
"Voted to adjourn this meeting one week from this even- ing at fifteen minutes before 8 o'clock precisely at this place. "JEREMIAH GROUT, Clerk."
"At an adjourned meeting June 12, 1843, after the doings of the last meeting were read, it was voted that the secretary of the society should draw black lines around the name of Dr. Aaron Green* instead of erasing it as was voted at the last meeting.
"The committee chosen at the last meeting. to consult the physicians and others in town, in relation to some persons being licensed to sell ardent spirits, reported that Doctors Guil- ford and Blair would without doubt consent to le licensed, and the following committee was chosen to petition the county commissioners to license them, viz: James Draper, Alonzo Temple. Lewis Bemis, J. W. Morse, and Jeremial. Grout. Ad- journed."
"January 9th, 1844 .* Agreeable to an adjournment the
*Dr. Aaron Green was a man of large frame and commanding appearance. He lived while in Spencer in the upstairs tenement of the Selb. Richardson house on Pleasant street, near the present Massasoit Hotel. One fall he was very sick with typhoid fever and not expected to recover. In fact he had given up his case as hopeless and the night came when he thought he must die. This night Braman F. Sibley and Willard Rice, Jr., were the watchers and after midnight both fell asleep. The doctor observing this, thought once before he died he would have cold water enough to quench his raging thirst, quietly arose and made his way to running water in the kitchen and drank his fill. What he had done was soon discovered by the watchers and they got him back to bed in time to prevent a chill. They were very much alarmed, however, and agreed with each other that the story should never be told, but when morning came and the doctor seemed well on the road to health and in a few days was ab,e to be about, the story was divulged as one bordering on the miraculous. Dr. Green was a slave to the drink habit and because of this he did not obtain a lucrative practice. He was in Spencer only two years when he purchased a farm in Brookfield, where he lived until his death about 1866. He had three sons, each of whom died (f typhoid fever when eighteen years of age and are buried side by side at Brook- field.
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