History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 147

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 147

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Augustus E. Dyer, surgeon at Portsmouth Grove Hospital and died in service.

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llorace Bosmore, sergeant ; was reduced to private Aug, 1861, and killed during Gen. Banks' retreat from Winchester, Va., May, 18G ?.

Alfred S. Hartwell, first lieut. ; com. capt. in 54th Regt. ; lieut. - col. in the 55th and col. of the same Nov., 1863 ; wounded at Honey Hill, 1864, and promoted brig .- gen. Dec. Ist of that year.

Charles A. Hartwell, first lient. U. S. Infantry; wounded in the thigli at Gaines' Mills ; taken prisoner at Savage Station ; confined six months at Richmond, Va. ; com. col. of 5th Infantry (colored) ; brev. capt. U. S. A .; major, lieut .- col. aad brig .- gen. of U. S. Volunteers, (breveted), and was such 1866.

Leonard B. Perry, second lieut. ; then acting adjt. ; later, first lieut .; and later still, acting asst. ndjt .- gen. of the post of Folly Island ; an- uexed to the staff of Brig .- Gen. Joho J. Hatch, and served uoder him till the war ended.

Josiah A. Beac, secood and first lieut. of 55th Regt., Co. D ; discharged August 1, 1865.

George Graney, 9th Regimeat, Co. B ; promoted to sergeant July 1, 1862.

llenry Hamilton Wilson, first lient., theo lieut .- col. U. S. C. T .; theo first licut. in regular army; died in service Dec. 24, 1866, at Austin, Texas.

William Nutt, enlisted ae private, then second lient. ia 54th Regt. ; later, first lient. 55th Regt. ; then capt., major and lieut .- col., and promoted col. by brevet ; served through the war, and is aow (1889) Judge of the District Court.

Otis M. Humphrey is credited to Natick as asst. eurgeod in the 6th Regt., upon the Adjt .- Gen.'e Report, 1863, but his name is not found upoa the record hook of Natick. The reports of this officer ia 1863, were, of necessity, very imperfect.

Upon the Soldiers' Monument appear the names of eighty-nine Natick soldiers who died in the war, and since it was erected, in 1868, many more have yielded to diseases contracted in the service. From year to year numbers will die from the same cause.

Thirty-eight of the Natick soldiers, at least, were taken prisoners, quite a number of whom died from cruel treatment during their confinement. The num- ber of the wounded was very large, and many of their wounds have proved fatal since the end of the Rebellion.

The certificate that follows is found in the report of the adjutant-general for 1865 in Public Document, No. 7:

"No crime has been committed hy any returned soldier resident of Natick. Being personally acquainted with a large majority of those re- eiding in this town, I am pleased to say that there is not one exception wherein the moral and social condition of the soldier of to day is not fully equal to his position as citizen before entering the service. There are many cases of marked improvement. 1 do not hesitate to say that the general condition of the soldiers and of those dependent upon them is much better than before the war.

" C. B. TRAVIS, Chairman of the Selectmen."

And now, after the lapse of twenty-five years, the appearance of the surviving members of the General Wadsworth Post 63, Grand Army of the Republic, is that of temperate, law-abiding, high-minded, indus- trious, useful citizens, who are honored by all the present generation, whose country they helped to save by their valor.

That such heavy drafts upon the working force and treasury of Natick, as the suppression of the great Rebellion made necessary, did not paralyze the in- dustries and exhaust the means of the town, appears from its increasing prosperity during those years of trial.

The printed annual report of the selectmen for the year ending March, 1850, shows that the amount of

appropriations made for 1849 was $5094, with floating accounts unsettled amounting to $798.50. The ex- penditures for the year amounted to $6454.56. In the year 1861, when the Rebellion broke ont, the grants and appropriations amounted to $16,255, and the lia- bilities of the town at the same time amounted to $25,923.53. In 1862 the appropriations and liabilities were nearly the same. Up to January 1, 1862, the town had paid to the families of volunteers the sum of $3524,33, but it was expected that nearly all of this sum would be refunded by the State. During that year the interest account paid by the town amounted to $1767.83.

In 1867, two years after the war had ended, the grants and appropriations amounted to $36,554.36, while the liabilities of the town, after deducting the sums due the treasurer, amounted to $24,351.85. The orders drawn by the selectmen for the year ending February 20, 1868, amounted to $77,485.40, while the receipts of the town had been $80,526.12. This indi- cates for Natick a sound financial condition, as the town was recovering from the heavy expenses and losses occasioned by the war. The town officers re- ceived for services during the year 1867-68 the snm of $1149.

The amounts for the year following do not vary materially from those set forth above. In 1870 the receipts of the town amounted to $63,969.07, while the amount of orders drawn by the selectmen was $61,067.85.

The birthis in the town the same year were 195, the marriages 63, and the deaths 105. In 1884 the births were 204, the marriages 80, and the deaths 155. The receipts of the town for 1884 were $124,- 803.27, and the expenditures, $125,307.22, leaving a balance against the town of $503.95. The Water- Works account, at the same time, showed receipts ($85,000 of which came from water bonds) of $128,- 292.10, while the expenditures amounted to $110,- 096.50, leaving a balance for the sinking fund of $18,- 195.60. The interest paid in 1884 amounted to $18,- 193.38, $8790 of which were upon water bonds. The net indebtedness of the town, exclusive of water bonds, March 1, 1885, amounted to $114,551.50, while, at the same time, there was due to the town the sum of $37,551.55.

The town having voted to grant licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors for 1884-85, the selectmen granted forty-nine licenses. The receipts for these amounted to $4600, of which the State received one- quarter, leaving a balance for the town of $3450. The town having directed that a part of the money received for licenses should be expended in putting in curbstones for the sidewalks, $1982.13 were paid out for this purpose. Arrangements were made during the year 1884-85 for the town to have the use of Concert Hall and of the selectmen's room for $600 annually from July 1, 1885. The town debt, which had been increasing during some of the preceding

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

years, was diminished in 1884 and 1885 to the amount of $13,365.19.

For the year ending March 1, 1888, the births were 233, the marriages 100, and the deaths 145. No licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors were allowed. The grants and appropriations amounted to $81,400, while the liabilities of the town were $126,- 000, which is to be reduced by amounts due the town to $93,851.52, exclusive of the water bonds. The water notes and bonds at that time amounted to $118,400. The amount collected for water, 1887, was $15,520.27.

For the year ending March 1, 1889, the births were 219, the marriages 77, the deaths 162. A liquor license was granted to Washburn & Reed, druggists. The appropriations for the year amounted to $88,340.

The 827 orders given by the selectmen amounted to $71,385.07. The interest paid on the town debt amounted to $11,289.18, while $3000 were expended to reduce the debt. The town's liabilities, March 1, 1889, amounted to $123,000, and it owed at that date $4023.10 accrued interest on notes and bonds, making the sum total of indebtedness, $127,023.10. At the same date, $38,465,14 were due to the town, so that its net indebtedness amounted to $88,557.96, exclusive of water bonds, being a reduction of about $5,294, from the net indebtedness of the preceding year.

The valuation of the town May 1, 1888, was as fol- lows : Personal estate, $1,006,405.00 ; real estate, $4,- 198,150.00 ; total, $5,204,555.00. The number of polls assessed was: Males, 2627; females, 502. The tax rate was $17,20 per $1000, and the total amount for collection was $99,302,47.

It is proposed here to resume the general history of this town, which was interrupted to present connect- edly some account of Natick's sacrifices for the sup- pression of the Rebellion,-a matter concerning which but few of the present generation are as familiar as every patriot ought to be.

The project of erecting a soldiers' monument being before the town, a monument committee, consisting of E. H. Brigham, G. P. Fay, N. Reed, Simon Mul- ligan and Willard Mann, was raised to attend to this matter, who reported, April 1, 1867, that they had put in the foundations and prepared the ground for a monument, on the Common, at the expense of $372.97, and had contracted with Messrs. Russell, Clough & Co., of Lowell, to prepare and erect the monument. The same committee was directed to go forward and complete the same. The town's grant for the erec- tion of such a monument was made April, 1866, and amounted to $3500.

Nov. 6, 1866, the town instructed the selectmen to petition the Legislature to grant the town of Natick the privilege of equalizing the bounties among those who served in the war of the Rebellion.

The Library Committee reported, April 1, 1867, that the number of volumes in the library was 2563, and that thirty doliars were due for unpaid fines.

Dec. 16, 1867, the matter of building a Town-House upon the old burying-ground lot, where the brick block of Leonard Winch and the Masonic Block now stand, was agitated, and the matter was deemed so far settled, that a large building committee was appointed to conduct the work, but no actual progress was made. This project was again before the town in 1868, but was defeated. At the annual meeting in March, 1868, the subject of securing a better supply of water, and of purchasing a steam fire-engine, was brought before the town by the engineers of the Fire Department, and a committee was raised to consider the matter.

Newton Morse was chosen Representative, in 1868, by 564 votes.

At a town-meeting, April 3, 1869, a communication was received from Mrs. Sally Spaulding, dated Oct. 3, 1868, in which she offered to the town of Natick the sum of five hundred dollars, the interest of which should be annually expended at or near the time of the annual Thanksgiving, to furnish to the female inmates of the almshouse such warm and comfortable clothing as the town would not feel called upon otherwise to supply, such as warm woolen dresses, woolen hose, small shawls, etc. The donation was accepted unanimously by the town, and a vote of thanks for the same was passed. At this meeting "the blocking-up of the line of Washington Street by the Boston & Albany Railroad corporation" was condemned by an emphatic vote. A railroad station- house had been built directly across the street above mentioned, and the agitation commenced at this time did not cease until, by an act of the General Court, the corporation was compelled to remove the depot about one hundred feet to the east.

As early as 1871 the money received by the town for the license of dogs began to be appropriated to the support and increase of the town library.

In 1872 the town, upon the recommendation of its committee, voted in favor of obtaining a charter which should give the liberty to take water from Dug Pond, for extinguishing fires and for household pur- poses. Also, the town voted to purchase a steam fire-engine for South Natick.

Upon the article in the warrant for the meeting, "Shall any person be allowed to manufacture, sell or keep for sale, ale, porter, strong beer or lager, in this town," 382 voted yes, and 355 voted no.

At the Presidential election in 1872 the party votes stood 683 to 449 on electors-at-large.

March 25, 1873, the town unanimously accepted the act of the Legislature entitled " An Act to Supply the Town of Natick with Pure Water."

Jan. 13, 1874, the great fire occurred, which de- stroyed all the buildings on both sides of Main Street, except the Leach (now the Eagle) block, and all on the west side of Washington Street, south of the railroad, except the dwelling of Miss Susan Morse. West of Main Street, for a considerable distance, the

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destruction was complete. Among the valuable buildings consumed were Clark's new and beautiful brick block, containing rooms for the National and Savings Banks, and the spacious Concert Hall, and the Congregational Church edifice, nearly new, and just enlarged and improved at an expense of about $13,000, upon which was good insurance amounting to 831,500. Two large factories of foot-wear were also consumed; all the dry-goods stores, and all the public halls in the village, including the one in the Winch Block in which the Methodist Episcopal Society was worshiping while they were erecting a new church. The loss to the town was very great, being estimated at the time at about one-fifth of the entire taxable property of Natick. But the amount of insurance, in most cases, was large, and the com- panies were able to meet their losses.

In 1874 the name of Railroad Avenue was changed to South Avenue. April 9, 1874, a Water Board was chosen, consisting of E. B. Saunders, James W. Morse and P. F. Woodbury for one year ; Royal E. Farwell and F. C. Tucker for two years, and Calvin H. Perry and Herman Crosley for three years. And the Board was directed "to introduce water into the town as soon as convenient." The treasurer was authorized to issue water scrip, not exceeding $80,000. Also the selectmen and the Water Board were authorized to expend $14,500 in erecting such buildings as were necessary for an engine-house, station-house, lockup and stables. In 1874 additional water scrip was au- thorized to the amount of $30,000, which was in- creased in 1875 by $40,000. In 1876 the town voted salaries for town officers, as follows : The chairman of the selectmen, $200 ; the other selectmen, $175 each; each assessor, $150 ; each member of the School Com- mittee, $125 ; town clerk, $50 ; town treasurer, $200.

April 6, 1868, the town chose Calvin H. Perry, Ho- ratio Alger and Elijah Perry a committee to prepare a code of by-laws for the town, and in May of the same year this committee reported such a code in eight articles. This report having been accepted, the same committee, with the addition of the town clerk, George L. Sleeper, Esq., was requested to present a copy of the proposed by-laws to the Superior Court or a justice thereof for approval. This was done ; and June 23, 1886, the code was approved by the Court sitting at Cambridge. In 1877 the town voted to issue water bonds, bearing interest at five per cent., sufficient in amount to carry water to South Natick and to the north part of the town, and ordered $20,- 000 worth of the old bonds, bearing six per cent. in- terest, to be canceled, and the new bonds to take their place.

March 5, 1877, the town appropriated $500 to pay for Cobb's painting of the late Vice-President, Henry Wilson, the same that now hangs in the town hall. Messrs. J. B. Fairbanks, George L. Sleeper and Alex- ander Blaney were made a committee to procure plans and estimates for a new high-school house.

New and additional by-laws for the town, prepared by Messrs. George L. Sleeper, J. B. Fairbanks and William Nutt, having been previously accepted by the town, were presented to, and approved by, the Superior Court at Lowell, April 20, 1877. May 3, 1877, the town voted to build a new high-school house, and appointed a building committee consisting of John B. Fairbanks, George L. Sleeper, Alexander Blaney, Josiah L. Bean and Calvin H. Perry; and in March, 1878, a final grant of $7000 was made to fin- ish and furnish the high-school house and to grade and fence the lot. November 8, 1880, the committee appointed on celebrating the first centennial of the incorporation of Natick, presented their report and it was accepted. From this report it appeared that the committee had organized by the choice of Hon. John W. Bacon as president, and Rev. Daniel Wight as secretary, and had recommended that the celebration should take place on the first Wednesday of June, 1881, and that the town apply to the Legislature for liberty to raise money to meet the necessary expenses of the celebration. The town thereupon voted that an executive committee of fifty-five be chosen, which shall constitute the committee of arrangements, and made provision to apply for the needed legislative act. At the annual town-meeting, 1881, the town granted $500 for celebrating the 100th anniversary of incorporation, to be expended under the direction of the town's committee on celebration heretofore elected, and that this appropriation shall not be ex- ceeded.

The town having voted, November 8, 1880, to cele- brate the centennial of the incorporation of Natick on the 1st day of June, 1881, the committee of fifty- five in charge made all the preparations necessary for this important event. A brighter and more beautiful day than June 1st could not have been desired.

At sunrise all the church, school and engine-house bells were rung for half an hour, and a salute of thir- ty-nine guns was fired. This was repeated at noon and sunset. By eight o'clock the people from the ontlying districts and the surrounding towns had assembled in great numbers. At 9.30 the pro- cession was ready to move, and this presented an imposing spectacle. It moved in five divisions, with the platoon of police in front under the charge of Chief A. C. Pease. Wm. H. Wright was chief mar- shal, and I. K. Felch chief of staff. In the first di- vision were the cornet band, General Wadsworth Post 63, G. A. R., and the Fire Department in full.

The second division contained the various benevo- lent and other societies of the town.

The third division, with the Hibernia Brass Band, was made up of the town officers, Governor Long and staff and other officers of the State.

The fourth division contained the youth and chil- dren of all the schools, many of them in costume and in barges, followed by representatives of the various trades and business of the town generally and

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

citizens in carriages and on foot. Young ladies from the High School, representing each of the States, and all with corresponding badges, and conveyed in a barge drawn by four horses, presented one of the most attractive features of the procession. When all had passed, the youth and children were drawn up in line in front of the Common, when J. B. Fairbanks, president of the day, introduced to them the Gov- ernor of the Commonwealth, John D. Long, who ad- dressed them briefly, but appropriately. All repaired now to the tent which covered the northeastern sec- tion of the Common, and was furnished with seats for the large assembly. The president of the day made an appropriate address at the opening of the exer- cises, and then introduced the chaplain of the day, Rev. Daniel Wight, a native and resident of the town, who offered prayer. A hymn, composed for the oc- casion by Mr. Isaac Gale, was then sung, after which the act of the incorporation of the town was read by Hon. Henry B. Pierce, Secretary of State. The centennial address, by Hon. John W. Bacon, followed, which was full of the most deeply interesting facts appertaining to the history of Natick, and couched in the plain and easily-comprehended language for which Judge Bacon was remarkable.

A centennial song, by Mrs. Mary L. Turner, was next in order, and this was followed by the centen- nial poem, written and delivered by John B. Mann, Esq., a resident of Washington, D. C., but a native of Natick. This poem was entitled "The Spirit of Freedom as illustrated in a Town's History."

At the close of the exercises in the tent about 650 of the audience dined together in Concert Hall, after the divine blessing had been invoked by the chaplain ; Mr. Alexander Blaney was toast-master, and Gov- ernor Long responded happily to the sentiment, " The Old Bay State." Hon. John W. Candler, member of Congress then (and now Congressman-elect) from this district, responded to the sentiment "The Congress of the United States;" Hon. Robert R. Bishop, president of the Senate of the Commonwealth, spoke for "The State Legislature;" Colonel William Nutt, chairman of the selectmen, and R. E. Farwell, Esq., chairman of the Board of Assessors, spoke for the "Town of Natick," while James McManus, Esq., responded to the toast, "Our Adopted Fellow-Citizens ; " Charles Q. Tirrell, Esq., made an address for " The Ladies of Natick," in which he gave some personal history ; Rev. Daniel Wight responded to the toast, " Our Free Public Libraries."

Natick was gay on this occasion with banners, streamers, flags and beautifully-arranged decorations. These last extended to all the public buildings, the most important business blocks and stores and many private residences, conspicuous among which was " The Home of Wilson," on West Central Street.

Among the relics and curiosities exhibited in Clark's North Hall were a rare copy of the old Indian Bible, translated by Rev. John Eliot, the apostle to

the Indians, printed in Cambridge in 1685, the silver service presented to the Hon. Henry Wilson by the citizens of Natick, and the original challenge sent to Mr. Wilson by Brooks, of South Carolina, to fight a duel.

In 1883 Captain Willard Drury gave to the town, iu trust, the sum of $500, on condition that the town shall apply the net annual income from the same to the care and preservation of his lot in Dell Park Cemetery, and the town accepted the trust.

In 1883 the appropriations of the town (including county and State taxes) amounted to $79,240.38.

In 1884 the grants, including the same, were $82,- 367.20. The town voted to grant licenses for the sale of intoxicating drinks, the votes standing 780 to 631. July 28th Stephen A. Sweetland was appointed one of the Board of Registrars, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Willard W. Wight. In the Presidential election, 1884, the votes for Presidential electors were divided as follows : 638 for Republican candidates, and 460 for Democratic candidates. Fran- cis Bigelow had 933 for Senator in Fourth Middlesex District. For Governor George D. Robinson had 689 votes, and Julius H. Seeley, 534.

1885. The town voted to grant licenses to sell in- toxicating liquors by 690 to 678 votes. At the State election Frederick O. Prince received 671 votes, and George D. Robinson, 581. For Senator, Francis Big- elow received 805 votes, and Alexander Blaney, 528. For Representative, Justin Perry received 699, and Albert Mead 640 votes.

1886. The town voted not to grant licenses, by a vote of 853 to 687. August 20, 1886, George L. Sleeper, Esq., who had long been town clerk, having been appointed postmaster, resigned his office, and James McManus was chosen in his place, to act till the date of the annual meeting in 1887.

1887. The town voted not to license by a vote of 938 to 827. The vote for town clerk stood 911 for James McManus and 882 for Irving G. Glidden. David H. Clark was chosen Representative by a vote of 905, over David J. Murphy, who received 716 votes.

1888. The vote on the license question stood 921 to 844 against granting licenses.

Under the article " To see if the town will intrust the money granted for necessary aid to soldiers, sailors and families of the slain, to the Post of the Grand Army of the Republic located in this town to be dis- bursed under the direction of said Post, to such per- sons residing in this town as are to receive it, accord- ing to Chapter 189, of Acts of Legislature of 1855," the town voted in the affirmative.

At a special town-meeting April 26, 1888, the town was divided into two precincts, 1 and 2, for the conducting of State and National business and elec- tions, the legal votes in Precinct No. 1 being at the time 1820, and in Precinct No. 2, 287.

The registrars of voters for 1888 aud 1889 were

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NATICK.

George L. Bartlett, S. A. Sweetland and Patrick Mahan, with James McManus, town clerk, member ex- officio. Francis Bigelow and Bernard F. Moran were wardens for Precinct No. 1, with Irving C. Glidden clerk, while in Precinct No. 2, Michael D. Sheenan and Gustavus Smith were appointed wardens, with Frank J. Mccullough, clerk. Henry A. Gray and Charles Stevens were appointed supervisors of elec- tion for Precinct No. 2, by Governor Ames upon pe- tition.

At the Presidential and State election November 6, 1888, the Democratic candidates received in Natick 968, and the Republican 859; the Prohibition ticket received 72 votes,-total 1899.

For a Representative in Congress for the Ninth Dis- trict, Edward Burnett, 1008 votes ; John W. Candler (who was elected), 831; and John C. Park, 54. For Governor, William E. Russell had 982 votes ; Oliver Ames (who was elected), 838 ; and William H. Earle, 54. William L. Davenport was elected Senator in the Fourth Middlesex District. Colonel Edgar S. Dodge had 162 plurality in Natick. For Representa- tive in the General Court, Albert Mead was elected over Patrick F. Hallinan by 27 votes, after the re- counting of the votes in Precinct No. 1.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 147

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