USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 27
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Seven lines of electric cars now enter the territory which was once Dracut. Rural delivery, the parcel post, the telephone and the daily paper are conveniences of which the earlier genera- tions were ignorant. The introduction of a water system, gas to illuminate the buildings and an excellent school system gives to the villages the benefit of city privileges.
The town officers are elected and all town business trans- acted at the annual and other meetings, where each individual has a right to be heard and government by the people is seen in its simplest form. In educational matters the town has endeav- ored to secure the best system, the most convenient and commo- dious houses and the most efficient teachers. Remembering the motto, "Education is the keystone of our liberty," liberal appro- priations are made for schools and the supervision placed in the care of competent parties.
In the early years of the town's existence the duties of the town officers were comparatively easy. The selectmen were also assessors and overseers of the poor. The collector received from the farmer the amount assessed for taxes on one bill. At the present time many of those same farms are divided into house
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lots, each one requiring a separate assessment and bill. The establishment of electric roads has added greatly to the duties of town officers in the relocation of highways and the laying out of new ones. The town report was printed on a single sheet of paper. It now requires a book of many pages. For the repair of roads, the town was divided into districts, each under the supervision of a road surveyor. The increasing use of the auto- mobile has created a need of better road construction. Now many of our town, as well as the state highways, are macadam- ized, rounded, smoothed and oiled, thereby giving the durability required for the new vehicle. The farmers are introducing machinery with which to perform the work once accomplished by hard manual labor. Choice breeds of cattle now replace the comparatively worthless ones of earlier days. Farms which could formerly keep but a few cattle are managed with such system that large herds are now sustained on the same number of acres. As the horse superseded the slowly moving ox team, so the auto truck is fast taking the place of the horse in convey- ing to the market the products of the farm.
The town officers in earlier times took prompt measures to prevent undesirable people from becoming a charge upon the town. If a family moved into town, the constable would be ordered to warn them to leave within fifteen days, and the warn- ing was recorded on the town books. This action was taken, not to oblige them to move, but to secure the town from loss in case they should demand assistance. Each member of the fam- ily was mentioned by name and sometimes several families would be warned at one time. In 1801, the citizens entered a protest against the building of a dam at Pawtucket falls. Their fishing rights were valuable and they predicted the destruction of those rights if the dam was built. Their fears proved true, as the rights were destroyed.
The town, in 1837, had the benefit of what was known as the Surplus Revenue from the state. By complying with certain conditions, the towns would receive this money which must be loaned and the interest only used. It was voted that it should be loaned to Dracut men only, and in sums of not less than one hundred or more than three hundred dollars to each individual. As the interest accumulated, it was applied to the building of
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school houses and bridges. For nearly two centuries the sale and use of strong drink was considered necessary, as no building could be raised, no marriage ceremonies performed, or funeral services conducted without the providing of liquors for the occa- sion. One of our townsmen informed the writer that at one time when the minister was making a pastoral call, as he rode into the yard his father hurried him out of the back door and ordered him to run across the fields to the store, near the present location of the town office, to get a jug of rum, as the laws of hospitality required the production of a glass of stimulant for the reverend guest. No grocery store was complete without its barrel of New England Rum, no tavern was fully equipped un- less there was a bar with its variety of liquor to suit all tastes.
About 1813, the great Washingtonian movement was com- menced which in the present day is continued in the various temperance movements. In 1847, an article was inserted in the warrant, "to see if the town will prohibit the sale of ardent spirits." No record was made of the disposition of the article. Under date of April 5, 1847, it was voted, That the town "build a building for 'lobies' and other purposes." This would seem to refer to the stone building near the town farm house on the northerly side of Willard Street, used for many years as a lockup for persons arrested. Probably about this time the town office was built on the opposite side of the road. The two build- ings were about the same size and built of the same material.
Before this time the town books were kept at the residences of the officers and the town has been fortunate that its records have escaped destruction by fire. Ten years later, in one end of the town office, a small room was set off in which the records were kept until the school house at the Center was transformed into an office and a modern fireproof vault was installed.
Controversies frequently arose between the Proprietors of the Locks and Canals and the town of Dracut. Individuals would often sell land in ignorance of the rights of the town which would cause trouble. At one time the Locks and Canals Company purchased land above the dam of the Varnum heirs, who gave them a warranty deed. The town claimed prior rights in a landing place and appointed a committee to investi- gate. This committee examined witnesses, searched records and
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reported in favor of the town, viz., that the town had not relin- quished its rights to the bank of the river. This was proven by a will of John Varnum bequeathing his estate to his sous, bound- ed south on the landing place, not on the river. They were vigi- lant in guarding their rights.
The people of early days are often considered as being sober and sedate, which, when occasion required, they were also ready for a picnic or dance, and the number of halls and taverns for- merly in town bear witness to a spirit of sociability. An entry in a private journal kept by John Varnum, nnder date of Janu- ary 15, 1778, records that, "About 2 of ye Clock the company viz. Hezekiah Coburn and wife, Parker Varuum and wife, Roger Ray and Hannah Brown, Henry Coburn and Samuel Richardson, Samuel Coburn and Rhoda, Jonas Varnum and Polly Parker, John Parkhurst, Isaac Parker, Abijah Hill and Bradstreet Coburn set off in three double slays to go to Billerica, went as far as Capt. Miners. Took a drink of Flip and toddy and re- turned through the town. Got back here about Sun setting. The Company set off for Joseph Varnums to sup there with fife and fiddle and returned home about 2 P. M."
Another entry shows the wages paid a hired man: "13 April. Settled a bargain with Wm Young for 6 months labor beginning this day for which I am to give him a wool home made coat, waistcoat and breeches, two shirts, 2 pare of Trowsers, 2 pare of stockings, a pare of shoes, a hat & $10 for which sd Wm promised to labor for me for 6 mos. from this day."
References are made to Old tenor, New tenor, lawful money &c which indicate different values in the medium of exchange. In the absence of a standard of value it was difficult to ascertain the worth of paper money, as the denomination specified could not be relied upon with any accuracy. One writer says, "These names and their true significance are not understood by many at the present day. The value of this paper money was variable and uncertain and from 1741 to 1765 there appears to have been little if any metallic money used as a medium of exchange in New Hampshire. In Massachusetts, the bills of credit were issued in 1690 which were redeemed yearly until 1704 when the public necessities were so urgent as to induce the General Court to defer the payment of taxes for two years and afterwards for
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thirteen years. The British parliament at length interposed and limited the postponement of taxes till 1741. In this time new emissions of paper money were sent forth expressed as Old Tenor, Middle Tenor, New Tenor first, New Tenor second. As the value of an ounce of silver advanced the value of this paper currency depreciated. In 1702 an ounce of silver brought 6s 101/2d. The value steadily increased until 1740 it was worth 60 shillings while the paper money became comparatively of little value."
An entry on the town books record the price of one ox as £600 while £1400 was paid for a pair of oxen. In a private journal of John Varnum's, under date of 1781, he records "Bought James' military coat & Paid him $800 for the same. March 22. Aaron Small brought us 1/2 bushel of beans, asked $67 for them. Apr 4 Selectmen here, finished the great Rate for the hire of Soldiers. Our part came to about 100 Hard Dollars which, at 75 to one comes to 7500 Continental Dollars. May 2 Parker paid to me $536 which he received from Dea. Hovey for a barrel of Rhum." During the Civil War, in the year 1862, gold was at two per cent premium and advanced in 1864 to $2.50 for a paper dollar. No metal currency was in circulation. Storekeepers paid a premium for copper cents and payments for articles of value less than five cents were made by using postage stamps.
Considering the meagre education of the men who lived in town during the first century of its existence, it is surprising that the records were so well kept. A few misspelled words a profuseness in the use of capital letters, the entry of the pro- ceedings of town meeting, followed by the entry of marks on a cow's ear or dates of birth or marriage were of minor conse- quence compared with the value of the record.
The citizens of the town were always ready, in time of need, with a helping hand. If through sickness or other misfortune the farmer was unable to plant his fields, to cut and cure his hay or to gather in his harvest, his neighbors would appoint a day when all could meet and the work would be finished. Such gatherings were called "having a wob."
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THE FAUNA OF DRACUT
It was not difficult to clear the town of the few Indians who remained after the tribe had removed. They could be per- suaded to leave by giving them blankets, kettles and trinkets. It was not so with the wild animals. Freedom from their depre- dation was achieved only by extinction, and this was rendered difficult on account of the dense forests which covered most of the country. All domestic animals must be securely penned or coralled, especially at night. It was no unusual occurrence for the settler to be awakened in the night by the bellowing of the cattle or the squealing of the pigs as they were carried away by a bear or wolf. The principal protection was afforded by the trusty bear dog and the flintlock gun. Wild cats made night hideous by their yells and the presence of the lynx made travel by night unsafe. Beavers lived by the brooks and their skill in constructing dams caused the meadows to be overflowed, thus preventing the growth of alders and thereby furnishing grass for the cattle; but all these wild animals have disappeared as the forests have been removed.
The mink and muskrat are still found near the streams, the woodchuck and skunk in the fields and among the growing crops, and the rabbits and squirrels are in the thickets. Deer are occasionally seen. Many species of wild birds may be seen. For game birds there are the native ruffed grouse, or "par- tridge," and the recently introduced pheasant. Woodcock and snipe are sometimes seen, but the quail is nearly extinct in this vicinity. The climate is unfavorable for large or poisonous snakes. In the ledges an occasional black snake or adder may be found, while the striped and green snakes live in the fields and gardens where they destroy bugs and insects.
THE FLORA OF DRACUT
The oak and pine are the principal trees, the white oak being especially valuable on account of its strength and dur- ability, while the inferior kinds are the black, yellow and red species. The white pine is superior to other kinds as it is easily wrought into lumber and many household articles. The red
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or Norway pine is rarely seen and will soon become extinct. Maple and white birch are abundant. The maple is of the red or swamp species, the rock maple will not thrive here. Swamp lands if neglected are soon covered with alders and willows whose principal value lies in their conversion into charcoal for gunpowder and other uses. The hickory, chestnut and butter- nut are common. The graceful elm and conical horse chestnut form a refreshing shade.
Many of our wild flowers are the enemy of the farmer. The mullen, once called the velvet plant, and considered a curiosity, springs up on new land. The milk weed with its white silky pod is a source of trouble to the farmer. The daisy, or white- weed, and wild carrot, or Queen Anne's lace, take possession of the fields and destroy the value of the hay. The poison sumach, or dogwood as it is called, and with its relative the poison ivy, are to he found, but not in great abundance.
The soil of New England is favorable for fruits and the choicest varieties of apples are produced in the town.
GEOLOGICAL FEATURES
Within the limits of the town are two principal formations of rock, granite, or gneiss, and mica schist. The former is found in Pawtucketville and some of the northern parts of the town. Some of these ledges have been quarried in former times, but are not worked at present. The mica schist underlies a large portion of the town and appears in ledges on the surface. In some places these masses have been uptilted by the movements of the earth in former ages. A ledge of this rock may be found south of Pleasant Street and crossed by Aiken and Kearsarge Avenues. Bridge Street crosses the Cowbridge hill a few rods south of the Lowell line where the rock is seen in the uptilted position as it was thrown out of the original horizontal forma- tion and is weathered to a very dark brown.
One of the best specimens of mica schist is to be seen on Willard Street, called the Town Farm ledge, and now owned by the City of Lowell. Through the ledge runs a beautiful dyke of erruptive rock of a pinkish color composed of quartz and feldspar. A rock of similar nature to the schist called mica
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slate, forms the bed of the river at Pawtucket falls and else- where. The continued action of the water has worn away the softer parts of the rock, leaving the harder portions exposed and uptilted at an angle from the horizontal. Pot holes are abundant in these rocks varying in size from two inches to a foot in diameter. We learn by such formations that in remote ages the bulk of the earth was greater than at present and as the mass gradually cooled, shrinkage occurred and the crust was fractured. Violent movements took place in the interior of the earth, causing the upheaval of these rock formations from their original beds.
COLORED PEOPLE.
Several slaves were owned in Dracut in the early days, but none are recorded in the U. S. Census of 1790, although the number of free colored people is given as 39. From records now existing we learn that they were considered as servants rather than slaves, were kindly treated, cared for in old age and given a decent burial. They were loyal to those who owned them and patriotic when their country was in need of defendants.
One of the earliest colored families in town was that of Anthony Negro, also called Tony. He came to Dracut from Concord, Mass., with Sary, his wife, and several children, be- tween 1712 and 1716. The Concord records give his name as Antoner. The committee appointed to allot the Reserved land, evidently considered him worthy to share with the white citizens, and several lots of land were set off to him in various portions of the town. The eleventh lot on the river was granted to him, which he exchanged in 1719 with Ezekiel Cheever for 30 pounds and 50 acres of land near the Haverhill path, which is supposed to be the road north of the Dracut reservoir, now discontinued, and which led through East Dracut, which at that time joined Haverhill, now Methuen. South of this road on land formerly owned by Franklin C. Wilson, and southwest of the present buildings, there is an old cellar with a well near it. Its present appearance indicates its age, as the elements have nearly oblit- erated it and like many other cellars, it is away from any high- way and was probably reached only by a path through the woods.
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Reasoning from the fact of its age and that a large part of Anthony's land was in this vicinity, it was probably his home. Several deeds on record show the disposal of tracts of land al- lotted to him around Cedar pond, on Marsh Hill and over the line in what is now Pelham. Tony brook in Pelham received its name from him. After his death, which occurred June 10, 1741, his will was probated naming Josiah Richardson as executor. The children mentioned in the will are Joseph, Robert, Peggy, Han- nah, Sarah, David, Jonathan and Peter. Dracut records give the birth of Jonathan, August 8, 1721, Margaret, August 27, 1716, Robert, April 15, 1718. No further trace of the children can be found, and if there are any of his descendants in this vicinity they must have assumed a different name, as the only surname known by which they were called was "Negro." Dis- triet No. 11 in the northeast part of the town is called "Black North," and from the fact of his owning so much land in this section it was so called on this account, as proof exists that this was the reason why it was given this name.
The Lew family were in Dracut about 1745, coming from Groton. The records of that town have the following entry dated December 28, 1742: "Priamus (Capt Boydens negro serv- ant) to Margt. Molatto formerly servant to Saml Scripture, both of Groton." Priamus served in the French and Indian war of 1745 as a musician. His son, Barzillai, born in Groton Novem- ber 5, 1743, died in Dracut January 18, 1822. He married Dor- cas Brister. He was early in the Revolution, enlisting in Capt. John Fords Company in Col. Bridges Regiment, and was present at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. He was employed as a fifer. Barzillai and Dorcas had several children, among them Zimri, who married Malala Freeman, and their son, Adras- tus, who married Elizabeth Freeman, is remembered as a resi- dent of Dracut, and who inherited from his ancestors skill as a musician and whose children now living in Lowell also possess this gift. The home of Barzillai has been mentioned as located on Totman road where he owned a farm. An entry in a journal written a century and a quarter ago gives this information: "4 March 1779 One Stephen Hartwell here to advise relating to a Neagro named Jeffery Hartwell, Spent considerable time with him at his request relating to said Neagro's freedom. He
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would have given me a fee. I refused to take one (in a Neagro Cause)" Jeffery died July 22 1816. The vital records of the town give the death of Jesse Hartwell as occurring July 20, 1816, aged, 75 years. The similarity of the names and the dates of deaths of these two men lead to the conclusion that they were identical.
Jess married Maria-and they were the parents of Violet, called Vilot, and Frances, who will be remembered by the older residents of the Navy Yard village, and who possessed to a great degree cheerful dispositions and marked intelligence. Maria, their mother, was employed for many years by Joseph Butterfield Varnum, who at her marriage, presented her with some land at the corner of Breakneck Hill Road and Meadow Road on which they built a house and where the two daughters mentioned made their home.
In 1779 the town records state that "John Varnum no- tified the town that he had received a laborer, a negro, who calls himself Jeffrey Freeman about twenty eight years old from Joseph Hartwell in Bedford sd Jefferey appears to be an able bodied laboring man and says he expects to earn his living at husbandry work" This may have been the Jeffery Hartwell before mentioned as the colored people assumed the name of the people with whom they lived, having no family names of their own.
The town records of Bedford contain an article relating to Jefferey Hartwell. It is dated July 6, 1756: "Know all men by these presents that I, Joseph Fitch of Bedford in the County of Middlesex, in the province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, gentleman for and in consideration of the sum of £24 lawful money of New England, done, in hand paid at and be- fore the sealing and delivering of these presents, by Joseph Hartwell of Bedford, above said yeoman, the receipt I do hereby acknowledge, have bargained and sold and by these presents do bargain and sell unto the said Joseph Hartwell a negro boy about 5 years old, called Jeffru, now living at the said Joseph Hartwells, to have and to hold the said negro boy by these pres- ents bargained and sold unto the said Joseph Hartwell, his executors, administrators and assigns forever, and I the said Joseph Fitch for myself ete do warrant the above said Nego boy
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unto the said Joseph Hartwell, his heirs ete against me the said Joseph Fitch my heirs etc, all and every other person and persons whatsoever, shall and will warrant and defend by these presents of which negro boy I, the said Joseph Fitch have put the said Joseph Hartwell in full possession by delivering said negro at the sealing hereof unto the said Joseph Hartwell"
The marriage of Moses Freeman of Newton and Dinah Lew of Dracut is recorded as occurring October 7, 1808, also the birth of nine children. Dinah was a slave and at the time of her death, which occurred about 1870, she was blind and cared for by her children. Their home was on Meadow road, south of the bridge where the cellar may be seen.
The Dracut vital records give the names of their children as follows:
Rufus Lew born
May 11 1810 in Cambridge
Derinder
June 3 1812
Moses
Aug 23 1814
Peter Lew
May 2 1816
Thomas 66 March 18 1818
Osmore Lew
Jan 18 1820
Lucy
Mar 23 1822
Barzillai
Feb 29 1824
Edgar
66 Jan 1 1826
In the absence of name of birthplace it is probable that all of these except Rufus, were born in Dracut. Rufus married April 24, 1849, Elizabeth Williams of Charlestown. In his later years he became nearly helpless on account of rheuma- tism, but he was very intelligent and had an active mind which caused him to be respected in the community. The other chil- dren, except Lucy, who cared for the mother in her old age, found homes in other towns.
Silas Royal, or according to the pronounciation of those days, Ryal, was a servant in the household of General J. B. Varnum, and it is stated that he was purchased in Boston when an in- fant and brought to Dracut. In January, 1776, he enlisted in Capt. John Reed's Company, Col. James Varnum's Regiment, and after serving for a time he entered the Navy as a pri- vateersman. His name is on the Roll of Honor of Dracut Sol-
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diers, where he is recorded as serving on the Privateer "Frank- lin." In 1778 he was kidnapped by speculators and taken to Boston, where they intended to send him South to be sold. When his absence was known, the Varnum family hurried to his assistance and proved to the authorities that he was a free man. He was a man who possessed dignity of manner and was respected and trusted by the family with whom he lived. "He was exceedingly punctilious as to respect he felt due him as Gen. Varnum's servant. If any of the young men failed to take off their hats to him when they met him on the road, he would cry out, 'Boys, where's your manners ?' and failing rec- ognition, would send his cane after them in double quick time."
"Ryal as he was called was the body servant of Gen. Varnum and accompanied him in his military expeditions. He was early manumitted and served as a privateersman, at one time of the Revolutionary War on board the brig 'Franklin,' Joseph Robinson, commander, at Salem, and drew £30 as his share of prize money. He was held in respect by everybody, as he was a dignified old darkey with autocratic ways. That he was an honored servant is shown by the fact that, though old and diseased, he was tenderly cared for and had a room in the family mansion. He died several years after Gen. Varnum on May 3 1826 and, at his own request, was buried beside an In- dian in one corner of the Varnum burial ground at the Varnum homestead."
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