History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 146

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 146

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November 7, 1808, the town chose a committee to lay out the ground for some sheds or stables near the meeting-house, "and report in twenty minutes." This was done, and the location which the town ac- cepted was defined thus:

" The south part of the ground be sixty feet north of the Meeting-house on a perpendicular line with the back side of said meeting-house, to extend to Mr. Moses wall as far west as the westerly line of the burying-ground, and northerly the width of the

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stables." This we can perhaps understand if we sub- stitute the the word " horizontal " for perpendicular. These stables must have covered some part of the ground now occupied by the brick block of Mr. P. F. Woodbury, while north of them, where the blocks of Messrs. Rice, Morse and Winch now stand, lay the burying-grouud.

The question whether " the Rev. Freeman Sears is settled here during life or only during the pleasure of him and them jointly," having been previously before the town, was finally disposed of October 16, 1809, by the unanimous adoption by the town of five resolu- tions, of the following import:

1. "If Mr. Sears will agree to spend his days here," the town will consider all contracts, as to salary, with him void, and make new pro- posals as follows :

2. The town will give him the use of the ministerial lot.

3. They will give him the use of the first pew in the meeting-house.

4. The town will pay him in the month of January each year the sumn of $100, or give him a note upon intorest for that amount.

5. The town willagree to fulfil the preceding contract so long as Mr. Sears sustains the relation of a gospel minister to this church and society.

Mr. Sears' salary was provided for in 1810 and 1811, but on the 30th day of June of the latter year he died, deeply lamented, at the age of thirty-three years.

The town chose a committee " to see what expense has arisen at the funeral of Rev. Freeman Sears," but its action upon the report of that committee was not recorded. January 27, 1812, it was voted to con- cur with the church in the choice of Mr. Joel Wright as pastor, and in offering him an annual salary of $425, the town agreed that " in case of sickness or old age he is unable to perform the above duties, the society to pay him $60 annually so long as he remains our minister, if his circumstances are such that he needs it, or any part as he shall need." Mr. Wright did not accept the call.

War having been declared against Great Britain in June, 1812, the town voted November 2d of that year, " to make up the pay of the detached soldiers to $12 per month, after they march into actual ser- vice." In 1813 the town chose as its representa- tive in the General Court, Samuel Morse, " by a major- ity of three."

December 6, 1813, the town having concurred with the church in the choice of Mr. Martin Moore as its minister, offered him "a salary of $500 and the use of the first pew in the church, so long as he remains our minister and supplies the desk." Mr. Moore ac- cepted the call and was the pastor about nineteen years. He appears to have purchased the house erected by his predecessor, Mr. Sears, upon the spot where the Edward Walcott business block now stands. The house fronted the east and its door-yard occupied a considerable part of the ground now cov - ered by that block. Later, when West Central Street was opened, the house was moved to the west and turned so as to front the north, and is the house now standing on West Central Street, next west of the the General Court in 1831.

Edward Walcott block. Mr. Moore was quite a farmer as well as a laborious minister, and his horse and cow pasture was west and northwest of his house, upon both sides of what is now West Central Street, and including the land now used for that pleasant thoroughfare.

The pews in the meeting-house were appraised December 13, 1813, at from $55 for No. 2, on the lower floor to $5 for No. 22, in the galleries. This, it must be understood, was for actual sale and not for annual rent, and according to it the pews were worth at that time $1230. This was probably about the estimated value of the meeting-house, inde- pendent of the lot upon which it stood.

During these years the care and support of the paupers of the town were awarded to the lowest bid- der, as was generally the custom in the country towns of New England. Sometimes a considerable sum was paid for the support of a pauper, if we may trust the entries made upon a loose paper found in the book of records, which are as follows :

" Pauper to Mrs. Walker $206. 44 " John Gray . 25.75

John Morse at $1.50 per week, for one year 75,30

Total $307.05."

Probably the first of these was an exceptional case.

At the choice of Presidential electors, November 1, 1824, fifty-six votes were cast, which seem to have been divided politically into fifty-three and three, except in a single instance, when all were cast for the favorite candidate. The town voted four times for a Representative in Congress at that election before the district gave a majority vote.

Sixty years ago there remained in Natick some common or undivided land which belonged to the In- dians, and this land the town took special pains to have disposed of and the proceeds devoted to some good object, as there were then no Indian claimants.

Only twenty-five votes were cast at the meeting for the choice of Presidental electors in 1828, and these were all given to one of the lists of candidates.

Nov. 1, 1830, the town chose a committee of three, viz., Rev. Martin Moore, Rev. James W. Thompson and William Farris, "to petition the Legislature in behalf of the inhabitants of said town for an altera- tion of its name," and instructed the committee to ask that the new name should be Eliot. Later, it would appear that this name was actually given to the post office in South Natick, for in the published "Review of the First Fourteen Years of the His- torical, Natural History and Library Society of South Natick" this statement is made: "The name of the Post Office and Village having been changed to 'Eliot,' the name of the Society was, at the April Quarterly Meeting, changed correspondingly."

This meeting appears to have been held in April, 1872. William Farris, Esq., represented the town in

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

From this date onward til! March, 1853, Chester Adams served the town as town clerk, and all the entries in the records were made in the most con- venient manner possible and in plain and beautiful handwriting. And the same may be said of all the town clerks who have succeeded him. Mr. Adams was also town treasurer for the same period, and when he declined longer service he received the thanks of the town for the faithful manner in which he had discharged his duties.

Feb. 28, 1838, a large committee of the town re- ported in favor of purchasing a farm as soon as pos- sible for the home of the town paupers, and about one month later the town appointed Elijah Perry, Jr., . Oren Coolidge and Samuel Fisk a committee to pur- chase a poor farm. In that year Edward Everett received 136 votes for Governor and Marcus Morton 52 votes, which probably indicated the relative strength of the two great political parties in Natick at that period. Nathaniel Clark was at the same time choseu Natick's Representative in the Gene- ral Court. In 1839 the town voted to pay the sum of $25 to each parish having a church bell, provided such parish would cause it to be rung from April till October each week-day at noon, and during the remainder of the year at nine o'clock in the evening.

In 1841 the matter of building a Town-House was agitated, when it was proposed to use a part of the surplus revenue received from the United States to build the same. But this proposition was defeated at first (the voters repairing to the Common to be count- ed) by a majority of four votes. Later this matter came before the town in various forms and with changing results, but the Town Hall was finally built. It stood near the northeast corner of what is now the Common, not far from the dwelling-house of Mr. John Kimball, whose home was near the centre of the present Common.

It was but a single story in height, and when the buildings were removed and the ground laid out for the Common, the Town Hall was moved to the east and became the Old High School house, fronting north on East Central Street. After the New High School house was erected and furnished, the old building was sold to Mr. M. W. Hayward and remov- ed by him to Washington Street. There it was raised and made two stories high, the lower part being a blacksmith's and carriage-maker's shop and the upper fitted up for tenements.

In 1841 Natick had 205 enrolled soldiers ; in 1843, 294; in 1844, 383; in 1845, 403; in 1846, 310, the members of the fire companies being exempt. In 1841 the matter of providing fire-engines for the town was agitated, but nothing effectual was done till 1844, when the town appropriated $1700 to purchase two engines, which were built by William C. Hunneman & Co., of Boston, and brought to Natick, without charge, by the Boston and Worcester Railroad.

These gave general satisfaction. In 1845 Henry

Wilson was elected to represent the town in tlie Gen- eral Court, receiving 177 votes, being a majority of 38 votes over 19 other candidates.

The tax on dogs, which had been $1.25, was re- duced in 1846 to one cent.

The same year (1846) the town voted " that fifteen dollars be allowed to the Methodist Episcopal Society out of the funds belonging to the estate of Timothy Smith, late of Natick, a town pauper, deceased, and that the Selectman take possession of the effects of said deceased and dispose of the same according to law, and that the town erect suitable grave-stoues to the memory of said deceased." 1

In 1847, the article before the town being "to see if the town will grant leave to Henry Wilson and others to enclose a portion of the common land in South Natick and erect thereon a monument to the memory of John Eliot," the liberty asked for was granted " without apparent opposition."

In 1849 the town voted "that Jonathan Walcott, Asher Parlin and Nathan Rice be a committee to pur- chase the farm of John W. Perry and Alfred Bacon and wife for a pauper farm." In the same year the matter of a new cemetery was agitated, when the town voted " that as soon as land can be purchased for a new cemetery the old one shall be closed." The lot for the Dell Park Cemetery having been secured, it was con- secrated July 12, 1849, by suitable religious ceremo- nies, performed, at the request of the committee, by Rev. Messrs. Hunt and Walton, of the Central Village, and Rev. Mr. Watson, of South Natick. Rules were established by the town respecting cutting the trees on it, laying out the grounds, selling the lots, etc.

In 1850 the enrolled militia of the town numbered 501; in 1851, 552; in 1852, 690. In that year Na- thaniel Clark was elected Representative to the Gen- eral Court by 233 votes. In 1851 the town appointed a committee of seventeen, with Edward Walcott as chairman, to make arrangements to celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Natick, but nothing later is found upon the records concerning this matter. In 1852 the selectmen were directed "to prosecute all violations of the License laws." In 1853 B. F. Ham was chosen town clerk and treasurer. In 1855 William A. Leighton was appointed agent for the sale of spirituous and intoxi- cating liquors in Natick, such liquors to be owned by the town and " sold for use in the arts or for medicinal or for chemical or mechanical purposes only, at the market of N. & G. D. Chamberlain, on Summer ·Street." In 1856 the town required the keepers of all

1 This Mr. Smith was quite a character in hie day. He was a bachelor and was often in prison, heing addicted to intemperance. Having frozen his feet, they were amputated, but etill he managed to go from place to place when not intoxicated. Late in life he thoroughly re- formed, and was distinguished for his simple piety and devotion to tem- perance principles as he had been for his wickedness and vicions habite in general. After his reformation he earned in various waye his support and left some money at his death ; but ho had been a pauper, and so the town dieposed of hie estate.

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dogs to put collars upon their necks, with owners' names plainly engraved thereon, and to pay license fees of two dollars each for males and five dollars for females. In the same year an appropriation of $1000 was made for providing "reservoirs for water," in order to have a supply in case of fires.

Nathaniel Clark was again chosen to represent the town in the General Court, the votes standing-for Nathaniel Clark, 475; for Aaron Davis 2d, 110; for J. B. Walcott, 244; and for B. F. Ham, 2. In 1857 the town voted to purchase additional hose for the fire-engines, and a supply of hooks, ladders, axes, etc., with suitable carriages for the same. Also an appropriation was made for a new fire-engine and new hose, the whole amounting to $4107.

The owners of the Citizens' Library having offered to the town the books of their library, upon certain con- ditions (see under the head-Educational), the town voted to accept the same, granted $300 for the Town Library, and committed the care of it to the Superin- tending School Committee. Later the town voted to adopt the rules for the regulation of the library reported by the School Committee. The question re- specting the ownership of the lot used for many years as a cemetery, where the brick blocks of Leonard Winch, the heirs of Leonard Morse and Martin Rice now stand, when the remains of the dead buried there should have been removed, was submitted in 1858 to the decision of Hon. E. R. Hoar, of Concord, by the committees of the town, of the Congregational Parish, of the trustees of the Ministerial Fund of said parish, and by John W. Bacon, as guardian of the Natick Indians. The decision of Mr. Hoar was, that the land in question belonged to the town, for various reasons, but chiefly because the town had held the exclusive and undisputed possession of the same for thirty-seven years. In 1859 the town accepted and adopted the report of its committee, to confer with the city of Boston relative to taking water from Lake Cochituate, according to which Natick was to receive from Boston for the privilege the sum of $3000.

During the same year there was so much dissatis- faction with the proceedings of the town's liquor agent, that the committee appointed for the purpose of investigation recommended that he be dismissed forthwith and that the agency be placed in the hands of some party who would conduct the business ac- cording to law. This recommendation was adopted by the town. The "crookedness " complained of was discovered by finding upon the books of the agency, as purchasers, the names of parties very regularly buying " who were noted as habitual drinkers." Mr. Horace N. Stockbridge was appointed the next agent, with very strict injunctions regarding the persons to whom he might sell and the records of the sales which he might make.

April 23, 1859, the town authorized the town treasurer, with the approbation of the selectmen, to fund the sum of $15,000 of the town's debt, the notes

to be payable as follows: $5000 in twenty years, the same amount in twenty-five years and the remaining $5000 in thirty years, with interest at the rate of five and a half per cent., payable semi-annually.

The militia enrollment at that date contained 1431 names. At the State election in November, 1859, 714 ballots were cast.

BEGINNING OF THE GREAT REBELLION MOVE- MENT .- April 3, 1854, the town had adopted the fol- lowing resolutions, reported by its committee, John W. Bacon, chairman :

" WHEREAS, the bill now before Congress for the organization of the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska proposes to repeal eo much of the Act of March 6, 1820, as forever prohibiting elavery north of 36° 30' in the Louisiana purchase-Be it therefore

" Resolved, That the inhabitants of Natick in town-meeting assembled do solemnly protest against the passage of said bill because

"]et. It will violate the plighted faith of the nation.

"2d. Because it will allow African Slavery to enter into 480, 000 square miles of territory, from which it has been excluded for thirty years.

"3d. Because it will tend to keep out of these territoriee the farmers, mechanics and workingmen of the free States and the poor men of the slave States now oppressed and degraded by African Slavery who would rear in these territories free institutions for all.

"4th. Because it will tend to increase the influence of Slavery over the policy of the national government."

Thus early did this town commit itself to the cause of human liberty against the encroachments of slav- ery, in the fearful contest which the wisest and most patriotic all over the North and West foresaw was impending.

April 29, 1861, the town appropriated $5000 to be expended under the direction of the selectmen, for the benefit of the families of such citizens of the town as may serve in the impending war.

The selectmen at that time were Willard Drury, William Edwards and C. B. Travis.

Leonard Winch, Deacon John Travis and John Cleland, Jr., were chosen a committee to consider "the wants of those citizens who may volunteer their services for the impending war." May 7, 1861, the town authorized the selectmen to pay for the uni- forms of the Mechanic Rifle Company, of Natick, to the amount of $1000. It was also voted that each volunteer soldier should be furnished with one rub- ber camp blanket, and one pair of woolen stockings and each commissioned officer and musician with a revolver. Also the town appropriated $500 to fur- nish arms, equipments and clothing to volunteers, if called into actual service. July 17, 1861, the town voted to raise the sum of $10,000, in aid of the fam- ilies of volunteers, and at the same time appropri- ated $1400 to mect expenses already incurred and to carry out contracts already made with volunteers.

In 1862 the enrolled militia numbered 592. July 25, 1862, provision was made to pay $100 bounty to each person who should enlist in the service of the United States and be mustered into the same as a part of the quota required of Natick under the call of the President for 300,000 volunteers for the war. Also voted that the town will pay to each person who shall volunteer and be mustered into the service an

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

additional sum of fifty dollars, making the amount of bounty offered $150. A committee of fifteen was chosen to assist the recruiting officers in procuring the quota of volunteers. The bouuty was promised within five days after the soldiers should be mustered into the United States service.

August 13, 1862, the treasurer was authorized to borrow $16,000 for five years at six per cent. or less interest, and to pay to each volunteer who should be mustered into the service the sum of $150, to the num- ber of 103, this being the quota at that time required of Natick. The same bounty was offered a little later to volunteers to fill the quota for this town under a new call for 300,000 nine mouths' men.

November 4, 1862, the town iustructed the select- meu "to pay to the families of those volunteers, resi- dents of the town, who have been or may be killed during the present Rebellion, the same State aid which they were previously receiving, until the end of the war."

" July 15, 1863, one hundred and fifteen police of- ficers were appointed for Natick," with the powers possessed by constables of this Commonwealth, except that of serving and executing civil process. Most of these took the oath of office.

April 21, 1864, the town voted to pay "a bounty of $125 to each person who enlists for the town of Na- tick and counts upon her quota." And May 23, 1864, the town voted unauimously to " pay to each person who had been drafted into the service of the United States, or who may be drafted previous to April, 1865, the sum of $125, when he shall satisfy the Treasurer that he has been accepted by the District Board of Enroll- ment."

Also it was voted "that we pay every re-enlisted man who has counted on Natick's quota, and has not received full government bounty, the sum of $175, on his furnishing evidence that he has not received full government bounty."

Such was the action of the town of Natick when the greatslave-holders' rebellion began. This took form be- fore the world by the assault upon Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, assumed the most fearful proportions when it appropriated the last dollar, aud brought into the field the last man it could control, but was finally crushed by the overwhelming forces of the friends of constitutional government and of human freedom when General Grant captured Richmond, April 2, 1865. All that the town did in the way of voting money and giving such a firm and determined moral support to the Federal Government was honorable and absolutely necessary ; but the self-denial and suf- fering chiefly fell to those who actually fought the battle of freedom ; and to them the reader's attention will now be directed.

In 1863, while the war was in progress, the General Court of Massachusetts took measures to secure in each town and city of the Commonwealth a full record of all the soldiers and seamen that it had furnished,

or might furnish for the suppression of the Rebellion, and so we have in the town clerk's office a volume in manuscript, entitled "Rebellion Record." This book contains the name of every soldier that counted upon the several quotas furnished by Natick, with his po- sition in the army, time of service, bounty received, previous occupation, age and experience, while in the service of the country.

The number of men in the army from Natick was 534, so that it is impracticable to give in this histor- ical sketch even the names of them all.

From the adjutant-general's report in 1865, it ap- pears that Natick furnished thirty commissioned of- ficers for the army. The record of these officers, from the sergeants upward, follows, abbreviated as much as po-sible, in the least important particulars :

Thomas T. Nuson, sergeant ; 3 years ; discharged by reason of sick- Dess, January 20, 1863 ; served 2 years.

George H. Willis, sergeant ; killed at Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862 ; served 2 years, 3 months.

Perry D. Chamberlain, first lieutenant ; resigned and discharged ; served 7 months.

Francis Z .. Jenks, second lieutenant, June 21, 1864 ; first lieutenant October 7, 1864 ; was in service through the war.

William H. Brown, sergeant, second and first lieutenant; served nearly 3 years.

1. B S. Randall, sergeant ; served nearly 1 year.

Oscar F Morse, sergeant, second and first lieutenant, and captain ; served 3 years.

Josiah S. Bacon, sergeant ; wounded in lungs at Second Bull Run; served 2 years, 7 months.

Henry Wilson, colonel, United States Senator ; beld bis commission 23 days.

Thomas Duggan, sergeant ; eulisted October 1, 1861; " Deserted and came back."

William W. Pray, sergeant, second and first lientenant, in 1863; re- enlisted and served through the war.

Albert HI. Bryant, assistant surgeon 3Gth Regt., enlisted as private 1861; discharged May, 1862, to be contract surgeon ; August 29, 1862, com, asst. surgeou ; served till close of the war.

Ephraim II. Brigham, captain, recruited a company in Natick, 1862 ; com. August 21, 1862, aod marched with niuety- nine mien August 13, 1862.

Simon Mulligan, first lieutenant under Capt. Brigham, and marched at same time; Capt. Brigham served two years and was discharged for disability ; Mr. Mulligan served one year aud two mouth;, and was dis- charged for- disability.

Benuing Hall, Jr., sergeant ; discharged for disability and died of disease contracted in service soon after his discharge.

William D. Parlin, sergeant ; discharged aud promoted to capt. of Co. E, Ist U. S. C. T.

Henry F. Felch, sergeant, second and first lieut. and capt. June, 1865 ; served three years.

Charles P. Currier, sergeaot ; woun ded May 8, 1864, at Spottsylvania Court-House and taken prisoner ; leg amputated and paroled at Rich- mond, Va. ; later, wasin hospital at Aunapolis ; had a furlough grauted Oct. 19, 1864, then reported at Readville, Mass., and was discharged.

Nathan Reed, sergeant ; served during the war and was discharged June 15, 1865, for disability.

Alexander Blaney, capt. ; discharged after nine months' service ; was in 28th Regt., Co. G.

Ira Russell, surgeon 11th Regt. ; enlisted August 27, 1861.

Harrison Harwood, Jr., first sergeant 42d Regt., Co. K ; enlisted for three months ; served his time and mustered out Nov., 1864.

Florence F Buckley, second and first lieut. ; wounded June 16, 1862, and promoted to first lieut. on the field for gallantry ; wounded again at battle of Bull Run Aug. 30, 1862; taken prisoner and paroled ; joined regiment again Dec. 4, 1862; promoted capt. Jan. 16, 1863 ; discharged for disability ; re-enlisted and was again capt. of Co. C, 20th Regt. ; served nearly the entire period of the wur.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 146

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034