USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Bolton > History of Bolton, 1738-1938 > Part 16
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Some years later, a series of meetings was begun which lasted several years, from 1894 to 1910. A general com- mittee for these meetings included representatives from each of the three churches, Baptist, Unitarian, and Friends, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the Inde- pendent Order of Good Templars, which was at that time inactive. These various societies took turns in leading the meetings, which were held the last Sunday evening of each month. Outside speakers were engaged very often and records were kept of each meeting after November 30, 1896.
The first general committee was: L. E. Scharf, Baptist ; Mrs. Alfred Dow, from the Friends and the W.C.T.U .; W. J. Leonard, Unitarian; W. H. Dow, I.O.G.T .; and H. E. Babcock.
IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
At the time the Public Library was built, there was much discussion about its location. Some wished it to be near the Mill Pond where the old mill and other shops used to be, where it would face both ways - up and down the street. When the discussion, pro and con, became a bit exciting, Mr. J. Wyman Jones gave the present site.
However, the little pond was not forgotten, for it had become a picturesque part of our scenic landscape. It was
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suggested to Mr. Jones, Mr. E. D. Emerson, Dr. Clapp, and Fred Felton they they buy the land and give it to the town. They did this and became trustees of the park.
The Improvement Society, formed to beautify and main- tain it, lasted for five or six years and held card parties and entertainments to raise funds for the improvements. A good sum was raised in this way, and Pond Park was maintained.
As time passed, Dr. Clapp became the sole trustee, and he deeded the park to the town. This deed included the right to flood the meadow in back of the pond, and in late years this has been done, thus making an excellent skating rink.
WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION
The first meeting of the union was held July 9, 1889. The local unit was an auxiliary to the State W.C.T.U., and its officers were : President, Mrs. Alice M. Dow; Vice Presidents, Miss Susie Wheeler, Mrs. Hattie Hurlbut, Mrs. Headle; Secretaries, Mrs. Alice Wheeler, Mrs. Lottie Everett ; Treasurer, Mrs. Ella P. Dow. There were in the neighborhood of thirty members, exclusive of those on the honorary membership list. The aim of the organization was, as it states in its constitution, "to educate the public sentiment to the standard of total abstinence .. . and secure legal prohibition." At the time it was disbanded in 1924, the officers were : President, Mrs. Ellen Babcock ; Secretary, Mrs. Carrie Townsend ; Treasurer, Mrs. Martha Rollins ; Mrs. Alice M. Dow, Mrs. Charles Hamilton, Mrs. William Brigham, Vice Presidents. The vice presidents were chosen to represent the three church denominations in town. The first president, Mrs. Alice M. Dow, served in that position for more than twenty years.
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4-H CLUB
In 1913, 4-H Club work was first started in the United States, and Bolton organized its first club in 1914. This club consisted of about six members. Their project was Home Economics, with bread-making as the chosen activity. Few club meetings were held, but at the close of the year, girls who won prizes in the local contest entered the state contest held at Worcester.
At present there are two sewing clubs, two cooking clubs, two handicraft clubs, and a poultry club in Bolton. In all these clubs combined, there is a total of forty-one members in active service.
Mrs. Herbert Wheeler became a club leader in 1916, and has continued in the work for twenty-two years, the longest continuous service for any local leader in the state of Massa- chusetts.
Mrs. Perley Sawyer has been the leader of the sewing group for several years. Under her leadership, many prizes have been won by local girls, and for five successive years a Bolton girl has had the honor of being sent to the State contest at Amherst, because of the excellence of her work.
CAMP FIRE GIRLS
In March, 1916, the Camp Fire Girls were organized with sixteen members, led by their Guardian, Naomi A. Cunning- ham. Each girl chose an Indian name which exemplified her character or ambitions for the future. Honors were given for various types of effort, such as housework, caring for children, garden work, woodcraft, nature study, and athletics. Besides their project work, the Camp Fire Girls did many things which could be classed as community
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service. They made memorial wreaths, dressed dolls and made scrapbooks for children's hospitals, subscribed to magazines for the Library, and made berry bowls for the Clinton Hospital and the Old Ladies Home. They earned sums of money for various good causes.
BOY SCOUTS
In August, 1920, the Bolton Boy Scouts were granted their first Charter, although they were organized in 1919. There is but one troop. It was admitted to the Wachusett Coun- cil in 1925. In its early years its most notable accomplish- ment was the creation of a capital fund by sales at Bolton Fairs and by entertainments.
Under Executive Officer Edwin Boutilier and the Scout- master Edward Ware, the boys participate in rallies with neighboring towns occasionally during the year, and once a year they take part in the rally held by the Wachusett Council. There they have won high ranks although many of the members are small boys.
The first Scoutmaster, Edward C. Ware, held that posi- tion for six years and was succeeded by Percival M. Frank- lin, who led the scouts until his death. Following these two came Mr. Baron, and Mr. Leo Morgan. At the present time the boys are led by John C. Powers, with William Ware as assistant Scoutmaster, both efficient scouters trained through all the grades of scouting in the Bolton troop.
The Town Committee is as follows: J. N. Pardee, Chairman, Frank A. Powers, Edward C. Ware, Francis Mentzer, and Leslie Babcock. This committee represents the townspeople who support the Scout movement and forms a contact between the troop and the citizens of Bolton.
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BOLTON GIRL SCOUTS
During the summer and fall of 1920, much interest was shown regarding the Girl Scout movement. The great problem was to find a leader. Finally, Helen Wetherbee consented to get the girls together and talk over the plans. After much planning a troop of twelve girls was organized, with Captain Mary E. Sprague and Lieutenant Hazel S. Pardee. In 1921, a charter was obtained.
The girls were a very enthusiastic and desirable group and much work was accomplished. Funds were earned by giving entertainments and selling home-cooked food. Some of the money was used for camping two weeks during the summer.
For many years the Scouts assisted in making wreaths for Memorial Day Exercises. They were also active in distributing delicacies to the sick and shut-ins during the Christmas season.
In 1930, Bolton formed a Community Committee and in 1933 became a Lone Troop Committee. The Troop dis- banded in April, 1935.
D. O. N. EDES POST 258, AMERICAN LEGION
The Bolton Post of the American Legion is named in memory of David Oliver Nourse Edes, who gave his life in the World War. Its official name is D. O. N. Edes Post 258, American Legion. It was organized in 1920, and at that time there were sixteen members. Clarence Kimball was the first Commander. The post has its quarters in the old Legion Hall on the hill behind the Town House. It has helped to support the dental clinics held for the benefit of local school children in recent years and has given medals
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for the inter-town speaking contest in this vicinity, thus doing its part toward the welfare of the community. At the present time there are fourteen members; Hugh J. Marden is Commander, and Leslie Babcock is Vice Com- mander.
LEGION AUXILIARY
The original D. O. N. Edes American Legion Auxiliary Unit 258, which was formed in 1921, had thirteen charter members, and the following officers : President, Mrs. Mar- jorie Babcock ; Secretary, Miss Gladys Sargeant ; Treasurer, Mrs. Florence Sawyer. In May, 1934, the Auxiliary was reorganized and new interest was kindled. This time, too, there were thirteen charter members, although they were not all among the original ones. Besides aiding and visiting the Veterans' Hospitals, this group has given money for school dental clinics and the Community Christmas Trees. The officers for 1938 are : President, Mrs. Mary P. Howe, Senior Vice President, Marjorie Babcock ; Junior Vice Presi- dent, Mrs. Mary Pardee; Secretary, Mrs. Charlotte Bab- cock; Treasurer, Mrs. Rina Bonazzoli; Chaplain, Mrs. Bertha Wheeler; Historian, Mrs. Margaret Campbell ; Sergeant-at-arms, Mrs. Marion Pardee.
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Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.
DANIEL WEBSTER
GENERAL JOHN WHITCOMB
PROBABLY one of Bolton's most illustrious sons was John Whitcomb, who was offered command of the Continental forces in Massachusetts by General George Washington. The fact that historians in general ignored this courageous and self-sacrificing man led Henry S. Nourse to prepare and read a paper entitled "A Forgotten Patriot" before an annual meeting of the American Antiquarian Society, giving an outline of his eventful and useful life. From this and other sources much has now been learned of the career of this outstanding soldier and citizen of Bolton.
John Whitcomb, or Whetcomb as the family wrote the name until the nineteenth century, was born in that part of Lancaster which in 1738 became the town of Bolton. He was the eldest son of John and Rebecca Wilder Whet- comb, being of the fourth generation from John Whetcomb, one of the original proprietors of the township, who came to Dorchester from England about 1636. General John Whetcomb was born about 1712, and died on November 17, 1785. The epitaph on his stone in the South Cemetery not only ignores the military rank of this soldier of three wars, but it closes with "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God."
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Of his early life very little is known. His father and mother both died while he was a small boy, and he was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, Joseph Sawyer, a blacksmith in the east part of the township. When he had the usual children's ailments he was treated by a relative, Doctress Mary Whitcomb, the first medical practitioner resident in Lancaster, who had been carried to Canada by the Indians following the massacre of 1697, and who claimed to have brought from her two years' captivity a rare acquaintance with Nature's remedies. He went to school from six to eight weeks in the year, and learned to read, write, and cipher quite well, but at spelling he was very poor, and in later life this inability caused him much embarrassment. Every Sabbath he accompanied his elders to the meetinghouse, five or more miles distant, to hear the impressive and long exhortations of the Reverend John Prentice.
This was an age when life to the majority was a scramble for food and shelter, and while still young, John had to help at the forge and take his turn with the scouting-parties that were kept constantly scouring the woods to the north and west in search of hostile Indians. John became a fine shot with his musket, and it was not long before he was the natural leader among the boys of his age. This life with its restraints and privations, yet large liberty, greatly favored the expansion of his character, and promoted hardi- hood and self-reliance in the young man.
Upon coming of age, John Whitcomb received half of his father's estate; being the eldest son, he came into possession of the homestead in Bolton, then described as one hundred and thirty acres of land, with buildings. Lime- stone had been discovered upon this land, and the manu-
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facture of lime became, in time, the source of a generous income to him; the product of his kiln exceeded both in quantity and in quality that of any other quarry in eastern Massachusetts. This quarry was worked for many years, until a spring was struck, causing the flooding of the quarry.
John Whitcomb married Mary Carter on June 12, 1735. She died in February, 1744, at the age of twenty-six, leaving three daughters. The following year he married Becke Whitcomb, a girl of eighteen, who, in due time, presented him with six more daughters and three sons. Eleven of the children lived to an advanced age, long surviving their father.
In 1748, John Whitcomb's name appears with title of lieutenant in the pay-roll of the Lancaster troop sent in pursuit of a party of savages fleeing for Canada with the trophies of a murderous raid. From that time on, his name appears very frequently in the early records. He had be- come the foremost citizen of Bolton. He was a selectman for more than twenty years, also serving as assessor for many years. Moderators at that time were chosen for each meet- ing instead of for terms of a year. Many special town meetings were held and we find the name of John Whitcomb as popular choice for Moderator. When in May, 1748, he was first elected a member of the General Court, because of diffidence he could not be persuaded to accept the honor, and Bolton was unrepresented ; but thereafter, until called to a higher civil office in 1773, he was nearly always the town's representative, when any was chosen, holding that office for at least twenty years. In 1754, he was appointed justice of the peace. He had gained recognition in all the country around as an able man of affairs, a deacon in the church, and one whose word was an ample bond.
THE BOYHOOD HOME OF GENERAL JOHN WHITCOMB
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When the French and Indian War broke out, John Whitcomb was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in the regiment raised by Colonel Samuel Willard, Jr., for the first Crown Point expedition. He was with his command in the desperate fighting of September 8, 1755, at Lake George, and at the close of the campaign led the regiment home, having been promoted to the colonelcy, at the death of Willard October 27, 1755. In 1756, the Council appointed him one of a committee of three "to take care for the transportation of provisions and other stores for the use of the forces of the Province," in the second expedition against Crown Point. This committee had its headquarters at Albany.
In 1758, John Whitcomb went to the frontier, again as lieutenant-colonel, his brother Asa serving under him as captain. Asa's home was in that part of Lancaster which later became the town of Sterling. It was this regiment, led by its colonel Jonathan Bagley, that made the victorious charge upon the French advance guard near Ticonderoga, on July 5, in which Lord Howe, the inspiring genius of the army, was slain. From this time to the end of the French and Indian War in the spring of 1761, when he led his men home through the unbroken wilderness of Vermont to the Con- necticut River and thence homeward through the New Hampshire woodlands to Bolton, Whitcomb was in many engagements. He and his men performed their duties with honor to themselves and their towns.
Ten years passed in which fighting was forgotten, and the Colonel gave his attention to his farm, his lime quarry, and his family, all prospering. His services as magistrate were in constant demand at this time. Then suddenly, in this quiet country town there arose a fierce conflict con- cerning church policy, known as the Goss and Walley war,
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so named from the two clergymen forced to become rivals in the contest. As this incident is fully recorded in another part of this history, it is sufficient to say here that Colonel John Whitcomb was one of the prime movers against Reverend Mr. Goss and the autocratic claims of that part of the clergy he represented. It was at this time, 1773, that the town showed further the estimation in which it held Colonel Whitcomb by electing him to a seat in the Council. Once again, however, his diffidence caused him to beg to be allowed to remain in the lower branch of the legislature.
The spirit of the times led the Provincial Congress to re- organize the militia in the latter part of 1774, and in Febru- ary, 1775, Colonel John Whitcomb was commissioned a general. He had already been chosen colonel by the line officers of the Lancaster regiment of Minute Men. He ac- cepted the duties of both offices. Of the five Massachu- setts generals appointed at this time, General Whitcomb had earliest won the rank of colonel in service, and could claim by far the most varied experience in military affairs.
Early on the morning of the nineteenth of April, 1775, General Whitcomb was waked by the calls and knocking of the courier from Concord, announcing the long-expected raid by the British soldiers from Boston. He hurriedly dispatched orders to his field-officers, using various members of his family, including his daughters, as messengers. His home being several miles nearer Concord than the homes of his company commanders, General Whitcomb decided to start immediately for the field of battle. He was joined on the way by those members of his company who lived on the way to Concord. They arrived at the field of action at about the same time as the company from Acton and had a very active part in driving the British back to Boston. In
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fact they continued on to Cambridge, where the next day General Whitcomb joined General Heath and General Ward in a council of war.
The third Provincial Congress on June 13, 1775, elected John Whitcomb "first major-general of the Massachusetts army." He accepted the appointment, and June 17, 1775, found him in command of one section of the battle line at Bunker's Hill. His particular location was the important stragetic position, Lechmere Point.
On June 5, 1776, John Whitcomb was commissioned a brigadier-general in the Continental Army, and Washington immediately announced his intention of assigning him to the command of the forces in Massachusetts. But Whitcomb, submitting once again to his diffidence and considering his age, returned the commission and asked "to be excused on account of age, and a diffidence of not being able to answer the expectation of Congress." The next month he was again elected a member of the Council, in which body he served for the next four years, then retiring from public office to the quiet of his home.
General John Whitcomb was a republicanized Puritan, a zealous, unselfish patriot, a man of action, ignorant of rhetoric, not given to bluster. Uneducated, and not dis- posed to overrate his own powers, he rose to command by native force of character. He was brave in battle, and gifted with personal magnetism and tact ; exemplary in life, for he was looked up to in the church, and his enemy spoke nothing ill of him; impartial in judgment, for his name stands oftenest in the records as moderator, arbitrator, and magistrate ; energetic in administration, for those high in authority sought his aid; judicious in legislation and coun- cil, for electors did not tire of honoring him.
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S. V. S. WILDER, ESQ.
One of the most picturesque figures of the early nineteenth century in this region, was Sampson Vryling Stoddard Wilder, equally famous as layman-evangelist and merchant. His earliest ancestor in this country was Thomas Wilder, who came from England in 1639, and was living in Lan- caster by July 1, 1659. The family prospered, both spiritually, and materially, and in the fourth generation in the new world, Levi Wilder, the father of Sampson, on more than one occasion spent the whole day riding around with the sheriff and paying the dues of poor families. Through his mother, Sampson was related to the Stoddards and the Van Vrylings, the latter family having come here from Holland. It is interesting to note, in passing, that all these people were strongly orthodox in religion. In fact, Mrs. Margaret Van Vryling, the first representative of her family in this country, came here to take her two younger daughters away from the influence of two older daughters who had "embraced the then more fashionable and lax opinions of Erasmus."
In view of Sampson Wilder's subsequent experiences in business, it is also interesting to note the financial vicis- situdes suffered by some of his immediate ancestors. His grandmother, having received word of her inheritance from the Vrylings in Holland of about $195,000, had it invested in specie there and started on its way to America. The ship, however, was wrecked, and all aboard lost ; and as the captain had deviated from the direct course, no insurance could be collected on it. Later, Mr. Wilder's grandfather, with patriotic confidence in the power of the government to redeem its issue of paper money, the now famous "Con-
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tinentals," accepted them in payment for several mortgages he held. Many barrels of the almost worthless papers were collected. They were redeemed, indeed, but at the rate of one cent on the dollar, leaving the loyal gentleman much the poorer.
When Sampson was born in Lancaster on May 20, 1780, the family was evidently again fairly well to do. During his early years it was expected that he would enter the ministry, and as his grandmother was anxious to be the means of training a minister who would preach "nothing but the true doctrines of the Cross" she presented him with "six thousand acres of land and eight hundred dollars in cash" to carry him through college and theological school. Once more, however, the family fortunes dwindled away. Levi Wilder, trying to raise money to pay off a bad note he had endorsed for a friend, shipped two cargoes of potash to England. A storm at sea destroyed the vessels off the coast of Ireland before arrangements for insurance in London had been completed, and Mr. Wilder lost, with them, practically all the property he possessed. He was obliged to mortgage his home to pay off his debt. As a result, Sampson was taken out of school and put to work in a store in order to be better prepared to help his mother and sisters should the need arise.
Unfortunately, the need arose almost at once, for Levi Wilder died when his son was only thirteen years old. For the next three years Sampson worked in stores in Lancaster and Gardner. In 1797, he went to Boston to look for a more profitable position, and was offered two, by merchants with whom he had done business for the Gardner store. One firm offered him $150 per year, and the other only $50, but it was the latter which was accepted because Mrs. Wilder
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felt that the religious views of the first company were not soundly orthodox. Sampson obeyed his mother in this matter much against his will, and found it was the first step in a long chain of happy coincidences.
His employers were Mr. and Mrs. Henley of Charles- town. During his years there he made many interesting contacts which aided him in later years. Among others, he became acquainted with Dr. Jedidiah Morse, who has been called the father of American geography, and who was the father of Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph. Through this friendship with Dr. Morse, it came about that Wilder was the first healthy person in this country to be vaccinated against smallpox. It was Dr. Benjamin Water- house of Cambridge who performed the experiment. In later years, Wilder had cause to be thankful for the protec- tion he enjoyed.
Soon after this, the young man completed his term of apprenticeship, but before he left the employ of Madam Henley, whose husband had meanwhile died, there occurred another incident which had happy results for him. One of his customers desired some Russian duck which was not in stock at the time. Mr. Wilder agreed to obtain it from a Boston merchant and deliver it to the gentleman at one o'clock that afternoon. He went to the city, ordered the material, and started it on its way in a wheelbarrow pushed by a young man engaged for the purpose. Some time later, on his way home, Wilder found the young man, overcome by the heat, sitting on the barrow. As time was getting short before the goods were to be delivered, Sampson took the barrow and continued on his way. Before he reached Charlestown, however, he met John Codman, a wealthy merchant and brother-in-law of Madam Henley. Having
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heard the story of the affair, and appreciating the qualities of character exhibited, Mr. Codman offered to back Wilder to the amount of $30,000, when he started in business for himself as he planned to do soon. Wilder never took ad- vantage of the offer, but the incident worked to his ad- vantage nevertheless. In the first year he conducted his own business, Mr. Codman assigned to him three cargoes of goods to be sold. The total commissions on these ship- ments amounted to $10,000.
In November, 1802, the young man became the European agent of Mr. William Gray, a trader. His old friend, Dr. Morse, gave him a letter of introduction to Talleyrand, the great Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in later years this contact with French authority proved most helpful to him.
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