History of Gardner, Massachusetts : from its earliest settlement to 1860, Part 8

Author: Glazier, Lewis
Publication date: 1860
Publisher: Worcester, [Mass.] : Printed by C. Hamilton
Number of Pages: 176


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Gardner > History of Gardner, Massachusetts : from its earliest settlement to 1860 > Part 8


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In 1855, Levi Richardson was found frozen in Mr. Ballou's mill, in the north part of the town. His age was 53. Hubbard Kendall was


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killed by the falling of a tree. His age was 65. Miss Merriam was found dead in her bed. Her age was 69.


On the night of the 7th of March, 1855, a shocking murder was committed in Gardner. The house of Miss Miriam Kneeland and Mrs. Sarah K. Phinney, was entered, by breaking a window while the occupants were in their beds ; the murderer with malice prepense, and without any provocation, maliciously murdered those two innocent persons by striking them on their heads with a cudgel. The instrument used was a chair- post. The murder was not disclosed until the next day evening. This affair so agitated the town, that there was but little business accom- plished for a week; there was great exertion used to ascertain the perpetrator of this invidi- ous deed. The Selectmen offered a reward of $500, to any one who would detect and bring to justice the assassin.


A young man by the name of George Stacy was apprehended and tried before a Justice of the Peace in Gardner ; the evidence was so much against him, that he was committed for a further hearing before the Supreme Court, at Worcester. The Grand Jury found a bill against him, and the case went to the Trial Jury, but their ver- dict was not guilty.


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TOWN HISTORY -CASUALTIES.


Their funeral was attended at the meeting- house the next Sabbath by a large congregation ; Rev. A. Stowell preached a sermon from these words:


" They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided." 2nd Samuel, 1st c., 23d v.


The congregation was so large that part of them repaired to the town hall, where Rev. J. C. Paine preached from the text found in Prov- erbs, 4th, 27th.


" Turn not to the right hand nor to the left : remove thy feet from evil."


The subjects of this murder were daughters of Timothy Kneeland, whose name has been mentioned among the early settlers of Gardner. Miss Kneeland was 85 years of age, and Mrs. Phinney, 75. For a number of years they were the only occupants of the house. They were humble and exemplary christians.


In 1856, Mrs. Lorenzo Cheney died in conse- quence of being burnt ; a fluid lamp was broken setting fire to her clothes, and burned her so badly that she lived but a few hours. Her age was 48.


" In 1857, Hammond Hardy, aged 21, was frozen so that he died. George W. Davis, aged 68, was drowned.


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TOWN HISTORY .- CEMETERIES.


In 1859, a son of Lyman Fenno, four years of age, fell into a shiner-box and being too small to get out alone, was frozen ; he was not discovered until death had completed its mission. A son of Mr. Flinn, two years of age, was drowned in a well. A son of John Hyde, four years of age, was drowned.


Small Pox. There were four deaths from small pox in 1854, and two in 1855.


Suicide. There have been seven deaths by suicide within the last fifty years.


Only one resident in town has been known to arrive at the age of one hundred ; a man by the name of Chapel, of English birth, died in Gard- ner, about the year 1820, aged 103.


Since 1830, there have been 782 deaths ; 11 between ninety and one hundred; 48 between eighty and ninety ; 139 between fifty and eighty ; 153 between twenty-five and fifty; 88 between fifteen and twenty-five; 343 under fifteen.


CEMETERIES.


The burying-ground, lying north of the com- mon, is owned by the town ; the land was bought of Seth Heywood, in 1785; some years after,


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TOWN HISTORY .- CEMETERIES.


an addition was made to it on the west side. In 1847, a tomb was built at the east end, for the use of the town.


In November, 1849, several of the inhabitants of South Gardner, made application to Asaph · Wood, Esq., to issue a warrant to some one of the persons named in the said application, to meet at the office of Dr. H. C. Harriman, to or- ganize into a company, to be called the South Gardner Green Bower Cemetery Company.


The persons met agreeably to notice, and voted to organize, according to the law made and pro- vided for in such cases, into a company with the above name ; and made choice of S. W. A. Ste- vens, for Clerk, and H. C. Harriman, Modera- tor.


The officers of the company are, five Direc- tors, or Trustees, one of whom shall be Presi- dent, a Treasurer and Clerk.


A code of by-laws was adopted for the regu- lation of the company ; and a piece of land was purchased for the cemetery, south of the village, of Mr. John Sawin, which was fenced, and pre- pared, and laid out into lots for burial purposes, and has since been occupied as such. In 1858, the town voted to build a tomb in said cemetery, which has been completed.


TOWN HISTORY .- JUSTICES OF TIIE PEACE. 129


August 7th, 1858, the Town voted to purchase some land, near the west village, for a new ceme- tery, and chose Elisha S. Jackson, John W. Hill, and Francis Richardson, a committee for that purpose ; they bought ten acres of land: seven or eight acres of Dea. Asa Perley, and two of S. W. Bancroft. The land lies west of Crystal Lake, and is called Crystal Lake Cemetery.


Considerable labor and expense is now being bestowed upon it, and it has the appearance of being a beautiful place (when completed) for the reception of the dead.


JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.


Aaron Wood, Simeon Leland, William Whit- ney, Smyrna Glazier, Asaph Wood, Francis Rich- ardson, Lewis H. Bradford, Rufus Newton, S. W. A. Stevens, John Edgell, Thomas E. Glazier, Thorley Collester, and C. W. Carter. The last mentioned one is an attorney at law.


MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.


Joseph Boyden was probably the first physi- cian in Gardner. Soon after he came into town,


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TOWN HISTORY .- MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.


Rev. J. Osgood united the medical to his cleri- cal office; there not being practice enough for both, Dr. Boyden left the place. Mr. Osgood was the only physician in town for nearly thirty years.


Dr. Howard practiced medicine here a few years. In 1822, Horace Parker, from Westford, came to Gardner; after practicing medicine about seven years, his health failed and he re- turned to Westford, where he died soon after.


In 1823, David Parker came into town; after studying awhile with his brother Horace, he commenced the practice of medicine with him, which he has continued to the present time. After the death of his brother, he was for many years the only physician in town.


Occasionally a physician would locate here until a better opening might be found. Dr. San- born practiced in the south village a short time. Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Harriman, Dr. Warner, and Dr. Jewett, have also been located as physicians here. Dr. Sawyer and Dr. Macomber are now practising physicians in the place; the one last mentioned is of the homoeopathic order.


W. H. H. Hinds, dentist, resided in town seven or eight years, when he sold out in 1859 to Dr. E. D. Gaylord.


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TOWN HISTORY .- SCHOOLS.


Nathan S. Lincoln, son of Rev. Sumner Lin- coln, fitted for college at Springfield, Mass., and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1850. Stud- ied medicine in Baltimore, Md .; commenced the practice of medicine in the city of Washington in 1853, where he still resides.


Albert Kendall, son of Hubbard Kendall, studied with Dr. Harriman, of Gardner, and at- tended the Medical College at New York, where he received his diploma for a physician, in which practice he is now engaged at Newton Lower Falls.


SCHOOLS.


In 1787, the town was divided into four school districts, and granted twenty pounds to be ex- pended in schooling. Previous to that time what education the children received was given in a private capacity; for nine years the schools were kept in dwelling-houses. In 1796, the town granted 250 pounds to build school-houses.


In 1818 the town was new districted and di- vided into six school districts ; the school money has been increased from year to year until the present time, when $2,000 is appropriated to that use. The people of Gardner attach great


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TOWN HISTORY .- SCHOOLS.


importance to the system of common school edu- cation; this may be noticed in their school-houses, all of which have been built new, or repaired within a few years. In 1858, district No. 1 erected a beautiful and commodious house, with four departments, at a cost of $10,000. In the same year, district No. 3 erected a house with three departments, at a cost of $5,000. Much pains has been taken in selecting teachers, giving the children and youth an opportunity to acquire an education sufficient to qualify them for the active business of life. A high school is often kept in the center of the town. There is also a fund of $1,000, belonging to the south village, the income of which is to be paid for the sup- port of a school. The donor was Abijah M. Severy. We find from the report of the School Committee, that in the year 1858, the number of public schools kept in town was twenty-five; an increase in number of six over the preceding year; their average length was six and a half months.


The number of persons in town between five and fifteen years of age, according to the last enumeration, was 482.


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TOWN HISTORY .- BUSINESS.


BUSINESS.


The principal business of this town for the first fifty years after its settlement, was farming. There were several coopers, but none that car- ried on an extensive business. About the year 1805, Mr. James M. Comee commenced on a small scale the manufacture of chairs. The only machinery used then in making chairs was an ordinary foot-lathe for turning some parts of the stock then used, the rest of the work was done entirely by hand. This may be considered the commencement of chair manufacturing in New England, as, before it was done solely in con- nection with cabinet work. Mr. Comee continued in this business a number of years without com- petition. But at length, as it proved to be lucra- tive, and in the way it was carried on at that time, requiring but little capital to commence with, it was taken up by one and another until it has now become the principal business of the town, and is carried on to some extent in the neighboring towns. Mr. Comee acquired a hand- some estate, and was a man much respected by his townsmen; he lived one-fourth of a mile east of the center of the town, where Mrs. A. Gates now resides. The rise and progress of


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TOWN HISTORY .- BUSINESS.


the chair business in this town if written in de- tail, might be interesting, but as I have not the facts sufficient, I shall confine myself to some general statements :


For many years the only machinery used was a foot-lathe. When water-power was first ap- plied to the turning-lathe, it was a matter of astonishment to many, to see with what rapidity the work was done. Next came the circular saw to prepare the timber for the lathe ; and machine has followed machine to the present time, and a large part of the work is now done with them.


The annual amount of chair business may be set in round numbers at $550,000. Number of men employed, 450; number of chairs made, 620,000 ; amount paid for seating the same, $55,000 ; which last is done by women and chil- dren.


The largest establishment for chair-making in town, and probably the largest in the United States, is that of the Heywood Chair Manufac- turing Company. Their factory is situated on the stream flowing from Crystal Lake, and near its outlet ; for motive power they use both water and steam; they employ over 200 men, and manu- facture 200,000 chairs annually, varying in prices from $6 to $120 per dozen, making an aggregate


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TOWN HISTORY .- BUSINESS.


amount of $230,000. The amount paid by them for seating, is $18,000 annually. In addition to the above, the same company manufacture 50,000 gallons of varnish annually, valued at $83,000, 8,000 of which is used by themselves in finish- ing chairs. The business of this company in 1849, was one hundred thousand dollars: in 1859, three hundred thousand dollars. Their office in Boston is 113 Fulton street.


The following table will show the amount of chair business done by individuals and compa- nies, at the present time :


Annual


Amt. of


Business.


Number


of hands


employed


Number


of


Chairs.


Amount


paid for


Seating.


Heywood Chair


(Chairs,)


$230,000


210 200,000 $18,000


Manuf. Co.,


(Varnish,)


70,000


Collester, Rugg & Co.,


30,000


20


25,000


3,500


L. H. Sawin,


24,000


17


30,000


4,000


E. Wright & Co.,


24,000


15


40,000


3,000


P. Derby,


16,000


17


16,000


2,000


A. White & Co.,


20,000


25


36,000


4,000


75,000


40 100,000


8,000


Greenwood & Wright, S. K. Pierce,


60,000


45


50,000


7,000


W. Hogan & Co.,


40,000


30


80,000


5,000


Greenwood and Nichols,


10,000


5


7,800


1,000


John Sawin & Co.,


8,000


7


26,000


E. C. & O. A. Travers,


6,000


4


10,000


700


Asa Perley,


5,000


7


6,000


400


-


The apparent discrepancy in the above table,


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TOWN HISTORY .- BUSINESS.


may be reconciled from the fact that some manu- facturers make more of the higher priced chairs than others, and some increase the amount of their business by painting more or less of the chairs they manufacture. To the above, we may add the business of A. H. Brick, in painting chairs ; his shop is near the depot, and he em- ploys fifteen hands, and finishes about 50,000 chairs a year, making the whole amount of chair business of the town, nearly $600,000.


There is one Pail and Tub factory in town, owned and occupied by Amasa Bancroft. He employs twelve men and makes 8,000 nests of tubs, and 30,000 pails, annually; valued at $15,500.


The Mercantile business of the town, exclu- sive of flour and grain, may be set at $180,000, and is done at the present time by A. S. Wood, Stevens & Greenwood, Warren & Marean, N. B. Howe, Rugg & Osgood, Wood & Bryant, G. W. Black, G. T. Ellsworth, and L. D. Lyon.


There are in the town nine saw-mills, one grist-mill, (Nichols & Baker's, who are doing a business of $30,000 annually, in flour, grain and meal ;) one bakery, one tin-shop, three black- smith's shops, one jeweller, two public houses, four livery stables and two post offices.


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TOWN HISTORY .- LIBRARIES.


LIBRARIES.


There are four circulating libraries in town ; one in the south village, and three in the center of the town,-one of which is an Agricultural Library : there is also one in each school district.


ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


Agreeably to letters missive from a number of brethren who were church members residing in Gardner, an Ecclesiastical Council convened at the house of John Glazier, Feb. 1st, 1786, in order to lead and assist them in forming a church of Christ in said town, consisting of delegates from the churches in Westminster, Templeton, Winchendon and Ashburnham.


Voted, Rev. Mr. Rice, Moderator, and Rev. Mr. Cushing, Scribe.


There were twenty-six members of other churches present, desirous of forming themselves into a church of Christ ; seven others united with them by profession.


The Moderator, in the name of the Council, tendered to them as a regular church of Christ, the fellowship of the churches, and exhorted them to walk in the faith and order of the gospel.


.


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TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


After the exercises, upon a motion made in the presence of the Council, the Church chose the Rev. Mr. Rice as their standing Moderator, with all consenting that they should choose an occasional Moderator among themselves as they should need. The Council then dissolved.


J. CUSHING, Scribe.


At this early period, towns and parishes were identical, and a tax was levied by law for the support of the gospel.


The following was the covenant of that early church, there being no articles of faith.


Form of Covenant.


"We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, apprehending ourselves called of God unto the church state of the gospel, do first of all confess ourselves unworthy to be so highly favored of the Lord, and admire that free, rich grace of his which triumphs over so great unworthiness. And thus with humble reliance on the aids of grace, therein promise for them that in a sense of their inability to do any good there- by, do humbly wait on him for all. Thankfully laying hold of his covenant, we would choose the things that please him. We declare our serious belief of the christian religion as contained in the said scriptures, and with such a view there- of as the confessions of faith in other churches has exhibited, heartily resolving to conform our lives unto the rules of that holy religion, as long as we live in the world. We give up


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TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


ourselves unto the blessed Jesus who is the Lord Jehovah, and adhere to him as the head of his people, in the covenant of his grace, and rely on him as our Priest, Prophet and King, to bring us unto eternal blessedness. We acknowl- edge our everlasting and indispensable obligations to glorify God, in all the duties of a godly and righteous life : very particularly in the duties of a church state, as a body of people appointed in obedience to him in all the ordinances of the gospel. And we therefore depend upon his generous assistance for our faithful discharge of the duties thus in- cumbent upon us. We desire and intend, with dependance on his promised and powerful grace to walk together as a church of the son Jesus Christ, in the faith and order of the gospel, so far as we shall have the same revealed unto us. Constantly attending the public worship of God, the sacra- ments of New Testament, and the discipline of his kingdom, and all his holy institutions in communion with one another, and watchfully avoiding sinful stumbling-blocks and conten- tions, as become a people whom the Son hath bound up to- gether in a bundle of life. At the same time we do also present our offspring with us unto the Lord ; professing with his help to maintain the daily worship of God in our houses, and to do our part in all other methods that our children may be the Lord's. And all this we do, fleeing to the blood of the everlasting Covenant for the pardon of our many sins ; and praying that the gracious Lord, who is the great Shepherd, would prepare and strengthen us for every good work, to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleas- ing in his sight, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."


At a meeting in March, 1789, the town voted to raise £20, (or $66,67,) to hire preaching the


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TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


present year ; voted that the committee for hiring preaching, employ Rev. Frederick Parker.


In October, they voted to hire Mr. Parker six Sabbaths; also, to unite with the church in giv- ing him a call, which was done.


His answer was in the negative. The people were so anxious to have him for their minister, that they chose a Committee of two to make fur- ther proposals to him, such as they anticipated he would accept, but all of no avail.


July 21st, 1791, the inhabitants of the town were legally called together, for the purpose of showing their minds with regard to giving Rev. Jonathan Osgood a call to settle in the work of the gospel ministry in Gardner; sixty-four in favor, and three otherwise.


MR. OSGOOD'S ANSWER.


To the Church and Congregation in Gardner :


BRETHREN AND FRIENDS :


Whereas in the Providence of God you have seen fit to give me an invitation to settle with you in the work of the gospel ministry, I have taken it into serious consideration, advised with my friends and fathers in the ministry, and devoted myself to God in solemn prayer for direction, in a matter of so much importance. I feel my own inability to undertake so great a work. But being con- fident of the mighty power of God, and knowing that the


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TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


great head of the church is able to support those who put their trust in him, I hope he will afford me his grace, that I may be enabled to carry on so great a work, and at the same time relying that you will, by your prayers, strive with me at the throne of grace, that I may be upheld in such an arduous undertaking, and enabled to discharge the duty of a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. I trust that you will endeavor to strengthen my hands by your christian conduct, and that you will be desirous that harmony should be kept up with the neighboring churches, and that I should fre- quently exchange with my brethren, the clergy. The pro- posals you have made me for my support are according to the infaney of the town. If at any future period, as you increase in wealth, I should stand in need, I trust you will be ready to afford me relief. I shall depend that you pune- tually fulfill the proposals you have made. Relying on your candor, and trusting you will strive with me to build up the cause and kingdom of the great Redeemer in this place, and taking every circumstance into consideration, I think it my duty to answer you in the affirmative. I now affirm that I accept your invitation to settle with you in the work of the gospel ministry, reserving to myself, according to custom, two or three Sabbaths in a year, as occasion may require, to visit my friends.


As it is for the interest of religion and the welfare of so- ciety, that peace, concord, and universal benevolence pre- vail, let us strive to maintain them in our own minds, and inculcate the importance of them upon others. Let us all seek the great head of the church for support, and may we conduct ourselves as the true disciples of Jesus Christ, and walk together as heirs of the grace of life. That God may delight to dwell among you, that he may afford you the


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TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


influence of his Holy Spirit, that you may overcome all things which shall oppose you in your christian course, that you at last may come off conquerors through Jesus Christ, and be made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in life, is the earnest prayer of your friend and brother.


JONATHAN OSGOOD.


Gardner, Sept. 17th, 1791.


At this period ministers were settled for life. The conditions of Mr. Osgood's settlement were £58, one-half of it to be paid in one year, and the remainder in two years from his installation. His salary was to be £75 (or $250) a year, so long as he should continue to preach.


At a subsequent meeting, the town voted to take from his settlement £18 (or $60,) and add to his salary twenty cords of hard wood.


Mr. Osgood was ordained October 19th, 1791. The churches participating on that occasion, were from Andover, Westminster, Hubbardston, Tem- pleton, Winchendon, Ashburnham, Bolton, Lit- tleton and Boxford.


The Rev. Mr. French, of Andover, introduced the solemnities with prayer: Rev. Mr. Foster, of Littleton, delivered the sermon: Rev. Mr. Sparhawk, of Templeton, made the ordaining prayer : Rev. Mr. Rice, of Westminster, gave the charge : Rev. Mr. Brown, of Winchendon, be- stowed the right hand of fellowship: Rev. Mr.


143


TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


Wright, of Bolton, offered the concluding prayer.


Mr. Osgood was born at Westford in 1762. He began after he was of age to secure an edu- cation, graduated at Yale College, and studied theology with Rev. Mr. Foster, of Littleton.


His congregation, though not very large, em- braced the whole town. As there was no phy- sician in town during the first years of Mr. Osgood's ministry, he commenced the practice of medicine, which he continued until his death ; although a portion of his time was devoted to the healing art, yet he was not considered neg- lectful of the care and spiritual wants of his flock.


He bought some land and built a house (where now lives Mr. Henry Lawrence) soon after he came here. When all was completed he mar- ried a daughter of Mr. Wardsworth, of Farming- ton, Conn. It was thought to be a great time here when he came with his bride ; a company of young people met them at Barre and escorted them to their new home, where many of his people were assembled, bringing with them pro- visions of every description as a token of love and respect for their minister.


Mr. Osgood was a man of more than ordinary ability, and was the only minister and physician of the town during his life. He died on the


144


TOWN HISTORY .- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.


22d of May, 1822, in the 61st year of his age and 31st of his ministry : his funeral (the expenses of which were defrayed by the town) was at- tended at the meeting-house by a large con- course of people. The neighboring clergymen were invited to assist in the services. Rev. Mr. Easterbrook, of Athol, preached a sermon from the text "Jesus wept." His death was lamented by a large circle of friends, by whom he was greatly esteemed and beloved. His character is briefly delineated in the following lines :


"Cautious himself, he others ne'er deceived,


Lived as he taught, and taught as he believed."


After the death of Mr. Osgood, the parish listened to several candidates for settlement without being able to unite on any one as their pastor ; they at length gave a call to Rev. Ed- mund Sewell, which was declined.


May 3d, 1824, the parish voted a call to Mr. Lincoln, who had been supplying them for a season. Mr. Lincoln accepted the call, and was ordained and installed June 16th, 1824.




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