USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Ashburnham > History of Ashburnham, Massachusetts : from the grant of Dorchester Canada to the present time 1734-1886 with a genealogical register of Ashburnham families > Part 16
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To see if the town will take any method to become acquainted with the minds of our fellow citizens in this commonwealth con- cerning the choice of our officers to be employed in government the present year or pass any vote or votes that the town shall think proper under said article.
To see if it is any mind of the town that there is any matter of grievance worthy of notice which we suffer by reason of the present administration of government, and if it is the minds of the town that there is matter of grievance to see what method the town will take for redress of said grievance.
Voted to send a man to Worcester to meet other towns and chose M' Jacob Willard.
It was moved to see if it was the mind of the town that there is matter of grievance that the people labor under and it passed in the affirmative.
The town having chosen Jacob Willard to represent them at the approaching session of the General Court, met again
NY TIMES
214
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
in May to give their representative instruction, whereupon it was ordered that he be instructed :
1" To have the general court moved out of Boston.
2ª To Endeavor that the Courts of Common Pleas be abolished.
34 To Endeavor that the salary men be lowered.
4th To prevent if possible a paper currency.
5th To continue the Tender Act for another year.
6th To Endeavor that a free pardon be held out to all those persons that have taken up arms against the government.
These instructions are simply a brief statement of the most prominent measures that were being advanced by many as a remedy for existing grievances. And while the Legislature was not removed from Boston, the salary of one officer, the governor, was reduced and a bill providing for a new emission of paper money was defeated. On the last of these instructions the town again took action at the next meeting. "Chose Jacob Willard, Joshua Holden and Captain Daniel Putnam to draft a petition requesting the governor and council to further reprieve or pardon Captain Job Shattuck and others now under sentence of death and that the petition be signed by the inhabitants individually." There were fourteen persons under sentence of death and among them Job Shattuck who was captured in the early progress of the revolt at his home in Groton.
In all of these proceedings of the town there is no exhibit of temper nor any apparent failure of candid consideration. The instructions to their representative are moderate and from their standpoint not unreasonable, and their request for an amelioration of the sentence of Shattuck and others might have been attended with censure of their riotous conduct. At all events the persons under sentence were
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS. 215
pardoned by those who had less reason for the exercise of clemency.
In the records for the year 1787 and again the following year is entered at length the formal oath of allegiance pre- scribed in the Constitution of the State and to it is sub- scribed the names of the selectmen, assessors, treasurer and constables of each year. The town that took this precaution to restrain insubordination and to secure a firmer loyalty to the State and the men who voluntarily subscribed their names to that form of an oath will never be suspected of being in sympathy with the revolt. If they petitioned for the pardon of the rebels it was more in the spirit of forgive- ness and charity than from any existing or former approval of their conduct. The vote of the town for governor for four years commencing 1783 was substantially unanimous for James Bowdoin who was the representative of the law and order party. During these disturbances it is evident that the controlling element and the voice and influence of the town did not fail in the maintenance of an orderly con- duet and of a firm loyalty to the State. While the revolt was sustained in other places our fathers assembled in the meeting-house Wednesday, January 17, 1787, and listened to a sermon by Mr. Cushing from the text, "That there be no breaking in nor going out, that there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is that people that is in such a case."
This was a season of great excitement. The laws were openly violated and defied in many places. The inhabitants of Ashburnham, impatient of the delay of a legal meeting, held informal meetings the following Friday and Monday. A. company of thirteen men marched to the assistance of the militia. The details of this voluntary service are recorded in a diary kept many years by Isaac Stearns from which the following extracts are transcribed.
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216
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
Thursday, January 18, 1787. I went to toirn to training or rather to try to get men to go to Worcester.
Friday. I went up to town meeting.
Monday. I went to town meeting.
Thursday. I went to town to see about getting men to go against the insurgents.
Friday, January 26, 1787. I set out with thirteen men and lodged at Richardson's in Leominster.
Saturday. Lodged at Patch's in Worcester.
Sabbath night. Lodged in Spencer at one Jenks.
Monday night. At Bugbee's in Brimfield.
Tuesday night. At Burt's in Springfield and
Wednesday night, also at Burt's.
Thursday, February 1. We marched through Chicopee, a parish of Springfield, to South Hadley and lodged at one Preston's.
Friday night. I was on gnard.
Saturday night. About ten o'clock we marched from South Hadley to Amherst and made a little halt.
Sabbath, Feby 4. Marched through South Barre and lodged in Petersham.
Monday. Marched to Barre and lodged at Capt. Henry's.
Tuesday. Marched to Oakham and back to Henry's in Barre. Wednesday. We exercised.
Thursday. I went about four miles after insurgents.
Friday. I chopped wood for Capt. Henry, at night I mounted guard.
Saturday. Came off guard. Afterwards did some writing.
Sabbath, February 11. I went to Barre meeting. Mr. Dana preached from Psalms 97: 1. In the afternoon we marched from Capt. Henry's to Dr. Strickland's who lived in one Nurse's house in Barre.
Monday. I walked down to Esqr Caldwell's.
Tuesday. I went on guard.
Wednesday. I came from guard. At eight o'clock at night we marched from Barre to Hardwick in water up mid leg and in
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS. 217
the rain and came to one Haskell's in Hardwick and there remain- ing part of the night, tarried Thursday ; and Friday in the fore- noon I chopped wood for Mr. Haskell. In the afternoon we marched back to Barre.
Saturday. I looked after Dr. Strickland's cattle.
Sabbath, February 18. I went on guard ; came off Monday.
Tuesday. I went to Esqr Caldwell's and read in Worcester Magazine ; afterwards drinked some cider and returned to my quarters.
Wednesday. We marched to Rutland ; there we were dis- missed, about noon we set out and came through Princeton, a part of Hubbardston and through Westminster to Col. Rand's where the men lodged, but I came to Lieut. Munroe's in Ashburnham.
Thursday. I came home.
This was a bloodless yet an industrious campaign. From a military standpoint the results, so far as we know, were not particularly decisive, but as an exponent of the prevail- ing sentiment of the town at a season of discontent our little army of invasion made a most cheerful campaign, and as volunteers in the cause of law and order their service must be accredited to a patriotic impulse which commands our willing esteem.
In 1778 a Constitution for "the State of Massachusetts Bay" was submitted for the approval of the people and by them rejected. The necessity for a more stable and com- prehensive form of government remained. In 1779 the General Court passed a resolve calling upon the voters to decide whether they would instruct their representatives to call a State convention to prepare and submit for their approval a form of Constitution. A convention was ordered and the Constitution then prepared was ratified by the people in 1780. In these proceedings the following votes will reflect the sentiment of this town.
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218
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
May 7, 1779. Voted to have a new form of government as soon as may be. Also that our representative vote to have a State convention called for that purpose.
William Whitcomb was the representative at the time this vote was passed. There is no record of the choice of a dele- gate to the constitutional convention.
May 31, 1780. Voted to accept of the form of government as it now stands all except three articles. Accepted unanimously. The articles accepted against are the following : The third in the bill of rights, forty-seven for it as it now stands, and twelve against ; - Chapter 2, Section first, article seventh, accepted with this amendment : -- That the Governor by advice of his council have power to march the militia to any one of the neighboring or adjoining States in case of invasion in the recess of the General Court. Chapter first, section third, article fourth : -- Two persons against it as it now stands.
The persons dissatisfied with the third article of the bill of rights were the Baptists who contended that there was injustice in the conditions which required them to contribute to the support of the standing or Congregational order unless they were members of some other society.
A convention of delegates was assembled in Boston in Jannary, 1788, to east the vote of Massachusetts on the question of the acceptance of the Constitution of the United States. The town of Ashburnham was represented in that distinguished body by Jacob Willard. While a majority of the convention finally cast the vote of Massachusetts in favor of the adoption of the Constitution, only seven of the fifty delegates from Worcester county voted in the affirmative. The name of Mr. Willard is found with the majority from this county.
219
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS.
In 1795, the town voted unanimously that it was inex- pedient to revise the Constitution of the State, but in 1820. the town by a vote of sixty-three to seventeen deemed it expedient to call a convention for revision. In both instances the town voted with a majority of the whole vote of the State. In the convention which was assembled at this time the town was represented by Silas Willard. Of the fourteen proposed amendments the people of the State ratified nine. They are the numbers I to IX of amendments to the Constitution. The town of Ashburnham voted in the affirma- tive on all the proposed amendments except the fifth. This was one of the five which was rejected. The amendments. numbered X, XI, XII and XIII, were proposed by the Legislature and ratified by the people without the interven- tion of a convention. The votes of the people of this town were as follows :
X. XI. 1833. XII. 1836. XIII. 1840. 1831.
Affirmative, 104 115
49 145 Negative, 2 1
5
38
In 1851, a proposition to call a convention for revision was submitted to the people and defeated. The vote of this town was 183 in favor of a convention and 138 opposed. The third convention of delegates was assembled 1853. In the preliminary vote 220 desired to eall the convention and 118 were willing to continue the constitution without change. The measure having received a sufficient number of votes, the town was called upon to make choice of a delegate. Simeon Merritt was elected, receiving 153 votes to 118 for Reuben Townsend. This convention submitted to the people eight propositions. None of them were ratified. The vote of Ashburnham was 203 in favor and 146 opposed. By a light
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220
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
vote the town voted with the majority in the State in ratify- ing the six amendments that were added in 1855 and no subsequent amendment has elicited a full vote or a very decided expression of opinion. In later years, the sentiment of the town has been expressed by printed ballots. But on the pending amendments in 1820, the vote was taken in a more captious manner. The warrant calling upon the inhabi- tants of Ashburnham to assemble announced that the vote would be taken in the following manner : "All the voters to be seated and when called upon to vote then all that vote to rise and stand up with their heads uncovered until they are counted and then sit down in their seats again with their heads covered." It was a rare display of brains both in the record and in the vote.
The relations of Ashburnham to the temporary forms of government, existing from 1774 to 1780, have been noticed in the Revolutionary History of the town. The first election under the Constitution in the autumn of 1780 was for a short term. At this election the town voted not to send a repre- sentative and continued of the same mind at the annual election the next spring. In faet, until the close of the century, Ashburnham was represented in only eight sessions of the Legislature, having voted thirteen times "not to send a representative this year." It should be borne in mind that until 1831, the State officers and the Legislature were elected in the spring, and that the General Court was convened the last Wednesday in May. To Jacob Willard was reserved the honor of being the first representative from this town under the Constitution. IIe was elected in 1782 and again in 1787, 1791 and 1792 ; William Whitcomb 1783 and Samuel Wilder 1788, 1796 and 1798. Every other year the town was not represented in the popular branch of the Legislature, and in 1798 Mr. Wilder died before the Legislature con- vened.
221
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS.
Beginning with the present century, Jacob Willard was again elected in 1801, and following a familiar precedent the next seven years the town voted not to send a representative. In 1809, Joseph Jewett was first chosen and reelected in 1812, 1813, 1814, 1816, 1821, 1829. He was also elected · in 1810, but immediately after the declaration of the vote the town from a chronic habit, "voted not to send a repre- sentative this year." Notwithstanding the vote of the town, Mr. Jewett, having been elected, assumed the duties of the office. Elisha White represented the town 1815; Stephen Corey 1819; Ivers Jewett 1824; Abraham T. Lowe 1825 ; Charles Barrett 1828 ; Nathaniel Pierce 1830.
Simultaneous with the amendment of the Constitution in 1831, changing the time of election from the spring to November and continuing until the amendment of 1810, the town having 375 or more ratable polls was entitled to send two representatives. Commeneing with the fall elections and winter sessions and continuing until the adoption of the district system in 1857, the town failed ten times to be represented.
The earlier failures to elect a representative arose as much from a sentiment of indifference as from any other cause, but at this time there was a livelier interest in political affairs and party lines were sharply defined. The attempt was annually made and an election failed only when the combined vote of the Democrats and anti-slavery party defeated the Whigs in securing a majority which was then necessary to elect. In 1850 the Whigs were not only prevented from sending a representative but witnessed the election of a political opponent. During this period the following persons were elected for the session of the years ensuing :
1831. Nathaniel Pierce, Hosea Stone.
1832. Nathaniel Pierce,
Hosea Stone.
1833. 'Hosea Stone, Asahel Corey.
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222
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
1834. Asahel Corey,
Kilburn Harwood.
1835. Asahel Corey,
Kilburn Harwood.
1836. Asahel Corey,
Reuben Townsend.
1837. Reuben Townsend,
Stephen Cushing.
1838. Reuben Townsend,
No choice.
1810. George G. Parker.
1841. George G. Parker.
1845. John C. Glazier.
1850. Ivers Adams.
1851. Jocl Litch.
1854. Edward S. Flint.
1855. Ohio Whitney, Jr.
1856. Joseph P. Rice.
In the district system of representation Ashburnham was classed with Winehendon until 1876. The representatives have been as follows :
1857. Jacob B. Harris
of Winchendon.
1858. Josiah D. Crosby
of Ashburnham.
1859. William Murdock of Winchendon.
1860. Albert HI. Andrews
of Ashburnham.
1861. Nelson D. White of Winchendon. 1862. Thomas Boutelle of Ashburnham. 1863. Giles II. Whitney of Winchendon. 1864. George C. Winchester of Ashburnham. 1865. Giles H. Whitney of Winchendon. 1866. George E. Fisher of Ashburnham. 1867. Windsor N. White of Winchendon. 1868. George H. Barrett of Ashburnham. 4 1869. William L. Woodcock
1870. Orlando Mason
1871. Albert G. Sinclair
1872. Austin Whitney
1873. Charles A. Loud
1874. Wilbur F. Whitney
1875. Charles A. Loud
of Winchendon. of Winchendon. of Winchendon. of Ashburnham. of Winchendon. of Ashburnham. of Winchendon.
223
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS.
Under a revision of the districts Ashburnham was classed with Gardner, Winchendon, Westminster and Princeton and privileged to send two representatives.
1876. Simeon Merritt of Ashburnham and Wilder P. Clark of Winchendon.
1877. C. Webster Bush of Gardner and Artemas Merriam of Westminster.
1878. Wilder P. Clark of Winchendon and William H. Brown of Princeton.
1879. Edwin J. Cushing of Gardner and George W. Eddy of Ashburnham.
1880. Giles H. Whitney of Winchendon and J. Henry Miller of Westminster.
1881. John D. Edgell of Gardner and John B. Fay of Princeton. 1882. Walter O. Parker of Ashburnham and Wilder P. Clark of Winchendon.
1883. Roderick R. Bent of Gardner and Edwin L. Burnham of Westminster.
1884. Roderick R. Bent of Gardner and Charles J. Rice of Winchendon.
1885. Charles J. Rice of Winchendon and Herbert S. Stratton of Gardner.
The vote for governor at one hundred and five elections presents many suggestions concerning the growth and senti- ment of the town. The vote for presidential electors being substantially a repetition of the vote for governor the same year affords no additional information. If, for a few years early in the present century, the town evinced an unsteadi- ness of purpose, the political sentiment of Ashburnham has been mainly in sympathy with the Federal, Whig and Re- publican parties.
224
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
Year
Name of Candidate
No. of
Votes
Name of Candidate
No. of Votes
Name of Candidate
No. of
Votes
Name of Candidate
No. of
Voten
1780
Hancock
25
Bowdoin
10
1781
Ilancock
22
Bowdoin
1782
No record
of a vote.
1783
Bowdoin
14
Lincoln
2 1
Hancock
0
1784
Bowdoin
22
Hancock
1785
Bowdoin
24
1786
Bowdoin
31
1787
Hancock
84
Lincoln Gerry
32
1789
Hancock
48
Lincoln
7
Bowdoin
1
1790
Hancock
37
179
Hancock
45
1792
Hancock
25
Phillips
9
1793
Hancock
46
1794
Adams
57
Summer
10
Scattering
1
1796
Sunner
38
Adams
18
1797
Sumner
47
Sullivan
31
1798
Sumner
48
1799
Sullivan
49
1800
Gerry
86
Strong
25
1801
Strong
33
Gerry
60
1802
Strong
63
Gerry
44
Scattering
1 1
1803
Strong
64
Gerry
32
1804
Strong
€1
Sullivan
31
1805
Strong
68
Sullivan
59
Scattering
1
1806
Strong
75
Sullivan
75
1807
Strong
84
Sullivan
59
Scattering
1
1808
Gore
86
Sullivan
51
Scattering
1
1811
Gore
89
Gerry
54
Scattering
1
1813
Strong
117
Varnum
49
1814
Strong
117
Dexter
47
181:
Strong
119
Dexter
54
1816
Brooks
181
Dexter
56
1817
Brooks
122
Dearborn
42
Scattering
1
1818
Brooks
107
Crownin-
29
1819
Brooks
111
shield Crownin- shield
33
Scattering
1
1820
Brooks
119
Eustis
48
1821
Brooks
110
Enstis
37
1822
Brooks
104
Eustis
42
1823
Otis
116
Enstis
75
1824
Lathrop
119
Eustis
95
1825
Lincoln
139
Scattering
1826
Lincoln
113
Lloyd
7
Scattering
1827
Lincoln
133
Scattering
1
1828
Lincoln
116
Morton
10
1829
Lincoln
90
Morton
41
1830
Lincoln
77
Morton
65
Scattering
4
1809
Gore
92
Lincoln
47
1810
Gore
98
Gerry
50
Scattering
1812
Strong
122
Gerry
50
1795
Adams
46
Cushing
4
1788
Hancock
29
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS.
Year
Name of Candidate
No. of
Votes
Name of Candidate
No. of
Votes
Name of Candidate
No. of
Votes
Name of Candidate
No. of
Votes
1831
Lincoln
101
Morton
53
Scattering Scattering
3
1832
Lincoln
152
Morton
74
1833
Davis
87
Morton
66
Scattering
16
1834
Lincoln
127
Fisher
59
1835
Everett
98
Morton
75
1836
Everett
139
Morton
95
1837
Everett
141
Morton
74
1838
Everett
157
Morton
10G
Scattering
15
1839
Everett
102
Morton
152
1840
Davis
204
| Morton
139
Scattering Boltwood
28
1842
Davis
160
Morton
133
Sewall
31
1843
Briggs
159
Morton
138
Sewall
41
1814
Briggs
164
Bancroft
126
Sewall
46
1845
Briggs
130
Davis
S3
Sewall
37
1816
Briggs
127
Davis
86
Sewall
35
1847
Briggs
123
Cushing
77
Sewall
37
1848
Briggs
102
Cushing
69
Phillips
88
1849
Briggs
124
Boutwell
79
Phillips
58
1850
Briggs
95
Boutwell
90
Phillips
91
1851
Winthrop
128
Boutwell
111
Palfrey
97
1852
Clifford
122
Bishop
120
Man
112
1853
Washburn
136
Bishop
106
Wilson
101
1854
Gardner
134
Bishop
38
Wilson
59
Washburn Walley
18
1856
Gardner
251
Beach
85
Seattering
10
Scattering
5
185
Banks
182
Lawrence
56
Beach
64
1859
Banks
125
Butler
98
1860
Andrew
282
Beaeli
99
1861
Andrew
184
Davis
59
1802
Andrew
210
Devens
109
1863
Audrew
160
Paine
39
1864
Andrew
278
Paine
83
1865
Bullock
185
Couch
32
1866
Bullock
231
Sweetser
40
1867
Bullock
233
Adams
130
1868
ClaBin
295
Adams
89
1869
Claflin
169
Adams
81
1870
Claflin
233
Adams
111
1871
Washburn
144
Pitman
39
1872
Washburn
268
Bird
71
1873
Washburn
105
Gaston
97
1874
Talbot
215
Gaston
154
1875
Rice
157
Gaston
136
1870
Rice
186
Adams
Baker
61
1877
Rice
108
Gaston
1878
Talbot
185
Butler
9€
1879
Long
181
Butler
80
1880
Long
227
Thompson
65
1881
Long
113
Thompson
1882
Bishop
178
Butler
1883
Robinson
210
Butler
133
1884
Robinson
219
Endicott
96
1885
Robinson
149
Prince
67
Lothrop
15
63
1855
Rockwell
164
Beach
96
Gardner
108
1857
Banks
176
Gardner
91
Beach
73
12
1841
Davis
160
Morton
111
1
1831
Lincoln
103
Morton
52
107
24 97
225
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15
226
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
The county of Worcester was incorporated when the territory of Ashburnham was an unnamed wilderness. The relations of this town to the county was an inheritance in which the inhabitants had no voice, but they did not long remain silent after they became members of the corporation. Situated on the borders of the county and remote from the shire town, the voters of Ashburnham have debated many projects concerning a change of county lines or the creation of a new county. Some of these have been entertained with considerable favor. The discussion began one hundred years ago and has been renewed at frequent intervals. The old county remains unchanged and so do the advocates of a new one. One movement began in 1784 and extended through several years. To the first convention this town voted not to send a delegate, but in a convention held in Lunenburg in 1785, the town was represented by Samuel Wilder. At this time it was finally proposed to create a new county comprising towns in Worcester and Middlesex counties. To this proposal Ashburnham finally dissented and withdrew from the movement.
In 1786, the town voted not to join with the petitioners of Petersham for a new county but were found ready to encourage the movement for a division of Worcester county which occurred soon after. To a convention held in Leom- inster in 1794 the town sent Samuel Wilder. The con- vention recommended the creation of a new county and this town chose Abraham Lowe, Samuel Wilder and Jacob Willard to petition the General Court. As a result of the solicitation of this and other towns the General Court in 1798 submitted the question to the voters of the county. The vote of this town was sixty-four in favor of a division of the county and five opposed. Immediately after the vote was taken in the county a convention was held in Templeton in
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227
STATE RELATIONS, POLITICS, TOWN OFFICERS.
which the town was represented by Joseph Jewett, but the measure in the mean time was defeated and the town took no action on the report of the delegate to the convention. Con- cerning the subsequent efforts that have been made to divide the county of Worcester the sentiment of the town of Ash- burnham was divided but the county remains with its generous domain and extensive boundaries.
MAGISTRATES .- In colonial times the Justices of the Peace were commissioned in the name of the king and the office was regarded as one of marked distinction. Upon the adoption of the State Constitution the appointment was vested in the governor, yet the duties and prerogatives of the office were not materially changed and a peculiar dignity continued to attend the office. In later years, appointments have been bestowed with greater freedom and the number of persons qualified for the position, both by education and a knowledge of legal forms and proceedings, is so numerous that the magistrates of the present time, surrounded by men of equal influence and eminence, do not enjoy the distinction that once attended the position. The only person appointed to this office in this town by royal favor, was Samuel Wilder. For many years he was the only magistrate in Ashburnham. Joshua Smith, who came to this town in 1785, was styled Esquire Smith and before he removed hither he had been a Justice of the Peace in Southborough, but no record of his appointment after his removal to this town has been found. In the following list of the Justices of the Peace the first column gives the date of the first appointment. At the close of seven years the commissions generally have been renewed.
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