USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 84
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The business of this firm extends into millions year- ly.
Their father's name was Nathaniel ; their grand- father Deacon Oliver Mead. Their mother was Lucy Taylor, daughter of Capt. Oliver Taylor.
Luke Blanchard-He was born in Boxboro' Jan. 17, 1826, and lived there until he was twenty-four years of age.
He was the son of Simon, and moved into Acton in 1852. He married Jerusha M. Vose April 8, 1858, and had the following children: Mary Florence, born Aug. 8, 1859, died in two years and four months ; Anna Maria, born Oct. 7, 1862; Arthur F., born Jan. 21, 1864; Mary Alice, horn Dec. 21, 1867, died Feb. 2, 1889.
He has been a prosperous business man, accumulat- ing successfully through his own exertions. His hus- iness has been largely marketing and trading. His property is distributed in several towns, but his chief local interest has been for several years in West Acton.
He is grandson of Calvin Blanchard, who was at Bunker Hill, and helped build the breastworks pre- paratory to the fight, and was at the Concord fight April 19th.
He is the grandnephew of Luther Blanchard, who was the fifer at the Concord fight-in Capt. Davis' company-and a brother to Simon, grandson of Calvin.
HISTORICAL MAP OF ACTON.1-Old road from Capt. Davis' house to 1st Meeting-House :
Capt. Isaac Davls, 1775 ; Joseph Brown, 1813 ; Ward S. Haskell, Na- thaniel G. Brown, 1825 ; Charles H. Wheeler.
Rev. John Swift, 1740; Dea. Josiah Noyes, 1780 ; David Barnard. Esq., 1800 ; Joash Keyes, Eliab Grimes, Jonathan W. Teele, Dea. W. W. Davis.
Captain Phineas Osgood, 1744; Edward Harrington, 1800; Thomas F. Lawrence, 1872; Rev. James T. Woodbury, Capt. Daniel Tuttle.
The old Parsonage:
Josiah Piper, 1735; Rev. Moses Adams, 1819 ; Rev. Marshall Shedd, 1831; Isaac Bullard.
The old School-House north of the Parsonage, 1798 :
The Centre Village .- Edward Tuttle, Joseph W. Tuttle, Charles Tut- tle, Dea. Joseph Brabrook.
First Store .- Dea. John and James Fletcher, his brother, Rev. James Fletcher, Memorial Library.
Peter Goodnow, M. D., Hon. Stevens Hayward, Mrs. Elizabeth Blood, Benjamin Wilde, Jr., Timothy Hartwell, Silas Jones.
Store .- Stephen Weston, John F. Davis.
James Jones, Widow Leighton, Dea. John Fletcher, Cyrus Dole, Henry M. Smith, John E. Cutter.
Samuel Chaffin, Jerushs Noyes, Elizabeth Brooks, T. Frederic Noyes. Hotel-Lieut. Henry Durant, 1808 ; Silas Jones, 1822 ; Horsce Tnttle, 1835 ; Daniel Tuttle, 1840 ; John E. Cutter.
Samuel Jones, Esq., Doctor Abram Young, Simon Davis, Widow Har- riet Davis.
Store-Dea. John and Jamee Fletcher; Shoe Manufactory, John Fletcher and Sons.
First Meeting-house, 1736 ; School-house, 1771.
Brooks Tavern, Daniel Brooks, 1762 ; Paul Brooks, James Fletcher, Jr., Nathaniel Stearns.
James Fletcher, 1794, Dea. John's father, Abel Proctor, Silas Conant.
Jones Turnpike .- Laid out in 1817.
Widow Hannah Leighton, Samnel Jones, Esq., James Conant.
Jonas Blodgett, Frank Hosmer.
Theodore Reed, Horace Tuttle, Dea. William D. Tuttle.
William Reed (3d), Joseph Reed.
The new road through the Centre. Laid out in 1806.
John Cragin.
Allen Richardson, 1826; Charles F. Richardson, Ai. Robbins.
The road over the Strawberry Hill, 1735. Bounds renewed 1803, and road straightened 1807, over the brook.
The road from Littleton line-Nashoba Corner, called Proctor's Road, 1746-leading to Cemetery, and crossing Harvard Turnpike at Daniel McCarthy's, 1735, and on to Joel Conant and so. east Acton.
Cotton Proctor, Peter Fletcher, Oliver Wetherbee, John Grimes. Magog Hill.
Jonas Allen, 1762 ; Simon Tuttle, 1762 ; Francis Tuttle, Town of Ac- ton. Simon Tuttle ; Jr., 1828.
Charles Handley, 1827.
School, 1787, at the crossing leading to Mr. Ham- mond's, burnt 1795.
Dr. Abraham Skinner, Charles Tuttle.
Rocky Guzzle.
Woodlawn Cemetery, 1736.
Daniel F. Barker, 1809 ; Dea. Samnel Hosmer, 1839.
Joseph Barker, 1762-1809 ; Lieut. Reuben Barker, Joseph W. Wheeler.
Abner Wheeler, Capt. Silas Jones, Daniel McCarthy.
Daniel Shepherd, 1735 ; John Cole, 1800; Alvin Raymond, Jedidiah Tuttle.
Joseph Cole, 1800; George B. Cole, William Hosmer.
The Stow and Carlisle road, 1735-1803.
Capt. Samuel Davis, 1735 ; John Adams, Jr., 1770; Ebenezer Barker, 1807; Jonathan Barker, 1847; Cyrus Barker.
S. E. School, 1771 ; Forge, 176G.
County road from Mill Corner to Assabet River and Faulkner Mills, 1776.
Joseph Dudley, 1793; Reuben Barker, William S. Jones.
Josiah Hayward, 1735 ; Simeon Hayward, 1792; Mrs. Mary Skinner Hayward's Mills.
Towards Faulkner's Mills.
Lient. John Adams, 1750; Moses Fletcher, 1826; Peter Fletcher, Lemuel Dole, Frank Pratt.
Den. Joseph Fletcher, 1735 ; Capt. Daniel Fletcher, 1776 ; Stephen Shepherd, Benjamin Wilde, 1797-1822; Asa Parker, 1825 ; Frank D Barker, 1885.
Reuben Hosmor, 1800 ; Joseph Wilde, 1825 ; William A. Wilde. Charles Robbins.
Cupt. John Hayward, 1775 ; John S. Flotcher, Daniel Fletcher. Benjamin Robbins, 1820; John Fletcher, 1845.
1 By Ilorace F. Tuttle.
273
ACTON.
County road leading from Faulkner's Mills to S. E. Acton Mills.
Ammiruhamma Faulkner, before 1735, Francis Faulkner, Francis Faulkner, Jr., Winthrop Faulkner, Col. Winthrop E. Faulkoer.
Road to Maynard, 1847.
Road to Store from Mill Corner, 1736.
Joseph W. Tuttle, Capt. Aaron C. Handley. Moses Hayward, Cyrus Hayward.
David Forbush, 1735 ; David Forbush, Jr., 1771; Ephraim Forbush, Abel Forbush, Isaiah Reed.
Road to Store from Mill Corner. John S. Fletcher Cross road.
Cyrus Putnam, 1829. Simou Hunt, 1731 ; Capt. Simon Hunt, Jr., 1775. Josiah Bright.
Nathan Robbins, 1736; George Robbins, 1775 ; George Robbins, Jr., 1826.
Sumner Blood Cross road.
Tilly Robbins. Tilly Robbins, Jr.
Road from Mill Corner and Stow to Concord School.
Jonathan Tower.
Ezra Wheeler, 1762 ; Lewis Wood, 1828 ; Mrs. C. D. Lothrop. Samuel Handley, 1807; Joseph Brown, 1820; Elijah Brown.
Daniel Brooks, 1776; Dea. John Brooks, 1735 ; Jonas Brooks, Eaq., 1776 ; Nathan Wright, Obed Symonda.
Titus Law, 1735 ; Joel Conant, 1823 .; John Conant, H. Hanson. John and Stephen and Amos Laws, 1735 ; Abel Cole, 1890.
Asae Husmer, Dea. Samuel Hosmer, Nathaniel Jones, Doctor Warner.
Road from the Laws to Silas Holden's, 1770.
Road from Stow and Concord Road to Harvard Turnpike, 1833.
Joel Hosmer, Jonathan Hosmer, Nat. Thurston Law.
Josiah Piper, 1825.
Joseph Piper, 1774 ; Joseph Piper, Jr., Silaa Piper, Jonathan Piper, Abel Farrar.
Road from Harvard Turnpike to Moses Taylor, Esq.'s, site, 1797.
Road from Moses Taylor, Esq. to Centre, 1774:
Joseph Barker, 1762; Mosea Richardson, 1800 ; Silas Taylor, 1822 ; Moses Taylor, Esq.
John Barker, 1736 ; Thad. Tuttle, 1797.
Road from Mill Corner to the Centre, way to meet- ing, 1735.
Store, Samuel Jones, 1735 ; Samuel Jones, Jr., Aaron Jones, 1776 ; El- nathan Jones.
Capt. Abel Jones, Abraham H. Jones. Universalist Church. Simon Hunt, School, 1771.
William Cutting, 1735 ; William Cutting, Jr., 1808 ; Luther B. Jones, 1826.
Cross road to the West road.
Dea. Jonathan Hosmer, 1735; Stephen Hosmer, 1765 ; Abner Hoamer, born 1754; Nathan D. Hosmer, 1800; Aaron Hosmer, Herman A. Gould.
Simon Hosmer, Jr., Reuben L. Reed, John Kelly.
Junathan Hosmer, 1760; Simon Hosmer, Esq., 1800 ; Francia Tuttle, Esq., Edward O'Nelll.
County road along the brook from Mill Corner to the Stow and Carlisle road, 1847.
Road from Universalist church, Mill Corner to beyond the Ford Pond brook crossing near Mt. Hope Cemetery-before 1735.
Jacob Woods, 1735; Oliver Jones, 1771 ; Abraham Conant, Esq., Win- throp F. Couant.
Simon Hunt's new house, 1735; John Hunt, 1765 ; Jotham Hunt, 1826 ; Joseph P. Read, George Coffin.
James Faulkner, Aaron Faulkner, 1800; Andrew Wilson, 1826 ; Daniel Wetherbee, John Hapgood.
Mount Hope Cemetery.
County road from Mt. Hope Cemetery to store in West Acton, 1766.
Universalist Church. Baptist Church. Store, School.
Farr's road to Meeting in 1735, coming from Stow to West Acton.
Stephen Farr, 1740; Oliver Houghton, Levi Houghton.
Thomas Farr's, 1735 ; Nathaniel Faulkner, 1764 ; Nathaniel Faulkner, Jr., Nathaniel S. Faulkner, Frank H. Whitcomb.
Capt. Samuel Hayward, 1735; James Hayward, born 1750 ; Capt. Stevens Hayward, Hon. Stevens Hayward, Orlando Leland.
Ezekiel Davis, Capt. Isaac Davis, born 1745; Elias Chaffin, Jonathan B. Davis, George Hagar.
Capt. Samuel Hayward's way to Meeting, 1735- 1800.
Hezekiah Wheeler, 1735 ; Samuel Wheeler, 1775-1797; Nathan Wheeler, James W. Wheeler.
Joseph Wheeler, Dea. John Wheeler, Elisha H. Cutler.
Road laid out 1762-a short line.
William Reed, Joseph Reed.
Road from Store in West Acton to Littleton, 1760.
Bradbury Stone.
John Tuttle, 1800; Reuben Handley, Jacob Priest.
Timothy Brooks, William Reed, William Reed (2d), Isaac Reed.
David Brooks, 1735 ; Joseph Brooka, 1780; Silas Brooks, Ephraim Hapgood, 1810 ; Ephraim Hapgood, Jr., Andrew Hapgood.
Nathaniel Hapgood, 1800.
Nathaniel Wheeler, 1762 ; Roger Wheeler, Ehen Smith, Edwin Parker. Abraham Hapgood, 1775 ; James Hapgood, Simon Blanchard.
Cyrus Hapgood, Benjamin F. Hapgood, John Hapgood, Ephraim Hapgood, Jr., Ephraim Hapgood, 1760.
Nashoba road from West Acton.
Judge Gilbert, 1775 ;"James Keyes, Ivory Keyes, 1845; Nahum Little- field.
From Nashoba to the Gravel-pit road, 1753.
John Chaffin, 1762 ; John Chaffiu, Jr., Antoine Bulette, 1829.
Robert Chaffin, 1762 ; Robert Chaffin, Jr., 1829 ; A. Risso.
Liout. Thomas Noyes, 1753; Capt. Joseph Noyes, 1808; Thomas J. Noyes, 1829 ; Alonzo L. Tuttle.
Gravel-pit road-County, 1846. John Chaffin's road to Meeting in 1753.
James Fletcher, 1791 ; Potter Conant, 1795; Paul Conant, Samuel P. Couant, 1808 ; Benjamin Robbins, Phineas Harrington, Simon Robbing. Samuel Parlin, 1776 ; Davis Parlin, Jonathan Parlin, Thomas Ham- mond.
Off from the Harvard turnpike in coming from West Actôn.
Samuel Hosmer, 1795 ; Dea. Silas Hosmer, 1812; Frank W. Knowl- ton.
The road leading from Stow to Concord before 1735.
Dea. Benjamin Hayward, Aaron Hayward, Lowell Wood, Albert A. Haynes.
Nagog Pond.
Captain Daniel White, J. K. Putney.
Dea. John White.
David Lamson, 1762, in from road.
18
274
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Joseph Chamberlain, in from road.
Frederic Rouillard. Solomon Dutton. John Handley, David Handley.
Joseph Robbins, 1774 ; John Dinsmore Robbins, James Keyes, George R. Keyes.
Capt. John Handley, 1830; Joho Rouillard.
Eben Robbins, Abraham Handley, Henry Loker.
Thomas Blanchard.
Charles Robbins.
Joseph Chaffin, 1797 ; Jonathan Wheeler.
Amos Noyes, Luther Davis.
Reuben Wheeler.
Joel Oliver, Ephraim Oliver.
Mark White (2d), William Stearns, Robert P. Boss, Ephraim Davis.
David Davis, Calvin Hayward, Solomon Smith, Samuel Tuttle, 1800 ; Horace Hosmer.
William Billings, Henry Brooks.
Aaron Chaffin, Silas Conant. School.
Edward Wetherbee, Jonathan Billings, James E. Billings, Otis H. Forbush.
James Billings, 1775 ; James Hapgood, Isaiah Perkins.
John Robbins, 1800; Elbridge Robbins.
Joseph Wooley, 1735.
Joseph Harris, 1735; Joseph Harris, Jr., 1735; Daniel Harrie.
John Barker, Jr., 1735.
Edward Wetherbee, 1775; Edward Wetherbee, Jr.
Elbridge J. Robbins.
Grist mill.
Daniel Wetherbee.
Road leading from Edward Wetherbee's across the brook, south of the saw-mill, 1749.
Forge before 1735.
Capt. Joseph Robbins, 1775.
In from the road near the rivulet, south of Joseph Robbins.
Capt. Thomas Wheeler, 1668. Nathan Robbins, before 1735.
Road from Daniel Wetherbee's to Silas Holden's place, on the Harvard Turnpike, 1865.
Samuel Wright, 1751 ; Samuel Wright, Jr., 1812; Silas Holden, 1823; Pope & Lyman.
New road over Strawberry Hill.
Solomon Burges, John Whitney. .
Mark White, 1735 ; Samuel White, 1756; Simon Hapgood, Benjamin F. Hapgood.
Road to Concord, from Strawberry Hill, 1735.
Jonathan Cleaveland, 1735.
Reuben Wheeler, 1800; William Wheeler.
Addison Wheeler.
Col. Nathanial Edwards, 1750 ; John Edwards, Daniel McCarthy.
Jolın Davis, 1735 ; Capt. Samuel Davis, 1763 ; Paul Dudley.
Branch from Littleton road.
Lieut. Jonathan Billings, 1735 ; Jonathan Billings, 1762 ; Paul Dudley, 1808 ; Calvin Harris.
Ephraim Billings, 1775 ; Darius Billings, Joseph Estabrook. Israel Giles.
Old road to Concord, 1735.
Benjamin Brabrook, 1735; House built, 1751 ; Benjamin Brabrook, 1770; George Brabrook, Hammond Taylor, 1890.
Near Concord line, 1735.
Seth Brooks, 1797; Nathan Brooks, Nathan Brooks, Jr., Wilber G. Davis, 1887.
The old road to Littleton in 1735.
Abram B. Ilandley.
Capt. Daniel Davis, Ebenezer Davis, Ebenezer Davie, Jr., Amasa Davie, William Davis.
Ebenezer Davis, William B. Davis.
The road from Acton Centre to Carlisle, 1735-1803.
Amos Handley, 1800.
Jonas Davis, Abel Conant, Luther Conant, Luther Conant, Jr., Esq. George W. Tuttle, 1800.
Old road from Acton to Carlisle.
Joseph Chaffin, 1784; Jonathan Wheeler.
Thomas Thorp, 1775 ; Nathan Chaffin.
Thomas Wheeler, 1735 ; Nehemiah's Hill.
Jerry Hosmer, 1824.
James Harris, 1829.
Uriah Foster, Hugh Cash, Ebenezer Wood.
John Harris, 1769 ; Jolin Harris, Jr., 1808 ; George H. Harris, 1889.
Moses Woods, 1800 ; Aaron Woods.
Cyrus Wheeler, 1844.
James Davie, 1800; Ebenezer Hayward.
Samuel Wheeler, 1735; Gershom Davis, 1740 ; John Hayward, Jr., Daniel Davis' Mill, 1775 ; Lieut. Phineas Wheeler, Francis Robbins.
Elijah Davis, 1776.
Jonathan Davis, 1800.
Old East Cemetery before 1735.
School, Dea. John Heald, 1735; Lieut. Jobo Heald, 1762; Timothy Brown, 1800; John Nickles.
John Davis's Mill, 1735, on Charles Tuttle's brook. Daniel White's Mill on the Nagog brook below Abel Robbin's house, south of Thomas Moore.
THE DAVIS MONUMENT-The citizens of Acton believing that the name of Captain Isaac Davis, the first officer who fell in the struggle for independence, and also the names of his two brave townsmen, Abner Hosmer and James Hayward-one of whom fell by his side on the famous 19th of April, 1775, at the old North Bridge in Concord, and the other in the pursuit at Lexington on the same day-were deserv- ing of a better fame than history had usually awarded them, aud a more commanding and enduring struc- ture than ordinary slabs of slate to tell the story of their martyrdom and mark the spot where their dust reposes, passed the following vote at a large town- meeting bolden on the 11th November A.D. 1850.
" Voted, That the town of Acton erect a monument over Captain Isaac Davis, Hosmer and Hayward, and that their remains be taken up and put in some suit- able place on Acton Common, if the friends of said Davis, Hosmer and Hayward are willing, and that the Selectmen and the three ministers in the town be a Com- mittee to lay out what they shall think proper or pe- tition Congress and the State Legislature for aid in erecting said monument."
A petition for this object was presented to the Leg- islature early in the session by Rev. J. T. Woodbury.
The committee consisted of Ivory Keyes, Luther Conant, James Tuttle, selectmen ; James T. Woodbury, Robert Stinson, Horace Richardson, ministers, in be- half of the town.
The joint committee of the Legislature or the Mil- itia to whom this petition was referred, unanimously submitted a report in favor of the project. The mat- ter was fully discussed, and after the eloquent address and appeal of Mr. Woodbury, the resolve was passed by a large majority.
Two thousand dollars were appropriated, to be join- ed by an appropriation of five hundred dollars by the
275
ACTON.
town of Acton, to be expended under the direction of the Governor, George S. Boutwell, and a joint com- mittee of the town.
There was a difference of choice by the committee as to where on the Common the monument should stand. The decision was finally left with the Gover- nor, who decided upon the present site, a spot not suggested by any one before, but which all agreed was just the place for it as soon as mentioned by the Governor.
Another question decided, was whether it should be made of rough or hewn granite. "Let it be of God's own granite," said Mr. Woodbury, " and let it be from the Acton quarry nearest to the site." Most of the granite was taken from the hill in the rear of Mr. Woodbury's residence, less than a mile from the Com- mon to the north, and given by him for the purpose.
The model finally approved by the committee has been universally admired for its beauty, simplicity and impressiveness. It is seventy-five feet high ; the top is four feet four inches square; a square shaft, reaching upward from a finely-proportioned arch on each side at its base. The base is fifteen feet wide, and extends eight feet into the earth, and is of good. split, heavy blocks of granite. Through the centre of the cap-stoue projects upward a wooden flag-staff, twenty-five feet in length, from the top of which a flag is kept floating, at the expense of the town, on all public days of patriotic import.
In a panel on the side facing the main avenue the inscription reads as follows :
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the town of Acton, co-operating to perpetuate the fame of their glorious deeds of patriotism, have erected this monu- ment in honor of Capt. Isaac Davis and privates Abner Hosmer and James Hayward, citizen soldiers of Acton and Provincial Minute-men, who fell in Concord Fight, the 19th day of April, A.D. 1775.
" On the morning of that eventful day the Provin- cial officers held a council of war near the old North Bridge in Concord ; and as they separated, Davis ex- claimed, 'I haven't a man that is afraid to go!' and immediately marched his company from the left to the right of the line, and led in the first organized attack upon the troops of George III. in that mem- orable war, which, by the help of God, made the thirteen colonies independent of Great Britain and gave political being to the United States of America. " Acton, April 19, 1851."
The old gravestones, which stood for seventy-five years to mark the resting-place of the three patriots in Woodlawn Cemetery, have been laid on the sides of the mound at the base of the monument. They are very ancient in appearance, and bear the follow- ing interesting inscriptions :
" MENENTI MORO.
" Here lies the body of Mr. Abner Hosmer, who was killed at Con- cord April 19th 1775, in ye defence of ye just rights of his country, being in the twenty-first year of his age."
Hayward's is even more interesting, containing, in addition, this poetry :
" This monument may unborn ages tell
How brave young Hayward like a hero fell,
When fighting for his countries liberty
Was slain, and here his body now doth lye-
He and his foe were by each other slain,
His victim's blood with his ye earth did stain.
Upon ye field he was with victory crowned,
And yet must yield his breath upon that ground.
He expressed his hope in God before his death, After his foe had yielded up his breath.
Oh, may his death a lasting witness lye Against oppressor's bloody cruelty."
This contains the story of his death. After the defeat of the British he stopped at a pump to drink, when a British officer, who came out of the house, exclaimed, "You're a dead man !" Both aimed, fired, and both fell mortally wounded, the officer dying a few seconds before young Hayward. The powder- horn worn by Hayward was pierced with the ball, and is now preserved, having been silver-mounted by Edward Everett.
The third stone is that of Captain Davis, which is headed, "I say unto all, watch !" and then, after a record of his death, this is added : "Is there not an appointed time to man upon ye earth? Are not his days also like the days of an hireling? As the cloud vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house; neither shall his place know him any more! Job 7 : 1, 9, 10."
The dedication of this monument was a day to be remembered by every loyal citizen of the town; in- deed, by every one present true to the flag of the Union. It occurred October 29, 1851. The monu- ment was surmounted by the stars and stripes, and from each side of the apex was extended a line of streamers and flags. Across the principal streets were also lines of flags, which were tastefully grouped and arranged by Mr. Yale, of Boston. 1
The day was cloudy and lowering, but still favor- able for the ceremonies-no rain falling until they were all concluded.
The attendance of the citizens of the surrounding towns was quite large. Five thousand persons were judged to be present, mostly the hardy and intelligent yeomanry of Old Middlesex, and their wives and daughters.
The ceremonies of the day consisted of a proces- sion, an oration by His Excellency, Gov. Boutwell, a poem by Rev. J. Pierpont, of Medford, and a din- ner, which was succeeded by speeches from several distinguished gentlemen, among whom were Robert C. Winthrop, of Boston, Hon. B. Thompson, of Charlestown, Col. Isaac H. Wright, of Lexington, and Hon. Charles Hudson, of Lexington. A thou- sand plates were set for the dinner, under a mammoth tent, erected by Mr. Yale, of Boston, a few rods to the north of the monument.
The procession was formed on the Green about
276
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
noon. The military escort, which made a fine ap- pearance, was under command of Col. James Jones, of the First Artillery, with Major I. S. Keyes and Adjutant E. C. Wetherbee as staff. The following companies composed the battalion: The Concord Artillery, Capt. James B. Wood, accompanied by Flagg's Boston Brass Band; the Prescott Guards, of Pepperell, under command of Alden Lawrence, first lieutenant ; the Sudbury Rifles, Captain Ephraim Morse.
Following the escort was the civic procession, under command of Col. W. E. Faulkner, as chief marshal, assisted by Ed. W. Harrington, A. L. Hutchinson, Simon Davis, Henderson Rowell, Henry Brooks, George G. Parker, A. J. Clough and H. L. Neal, mounted aids, and Messrs. L. Gilman, Marshall Par- ker, V. Lintell and Lowell Stearns, on foot to escort the ladies; the Governor and aides, consisting of Colonels Heard, Chapman, Williams and Needham ; the President of the Massachusetts Senate, invited guests, the president, vice-presidents and committee of arrangements of the various towns, composed the second division. The third division embraced No. 1 Division of the Order of United Americans, and the "O'Kommakamesit" Fire Company, No. 2, of Marl- boro'. The fourth and fifth divisions were composed of citizens from Lexington, Concord, Littleton, Box- boro', Sudbury, Westford, Stow and Acton. Several of these towns carried appropriate banners. That from Lexington was a large, white hanner with a red fringe. On the front was the inscription, "Lexing- ton, April 19, 1775. O, what a glorious day for America !" On the reverse-" Freedom's Offering !" and the names of Parker and other patriots who fell in the fight at Lexington.
From the Green the procession proceeded towards the Old Burying-ground, southeast part of the town, where the remains of the patriots Davis, Hosmer and Hayward were deposited, awaiting their removal to the monument.
The bones, which were disinterred some days before, werc nearly entire, and were enclosed in an oblong, black walnut box, highly polished and studded with silver nails. The remains were enclosed in different compartments, each marked upon the cover by a silver plate bearing the name of the old patriots. The cheek-hone of Hosmer showed the trace of the ball which caused his death, entering just below the left eye and coming out at the back of the neck.
The box was placed in a hearse, and under the escort of the " Davis Guards," First Lieutenant Dan- iel Jones in command, met the procession at the junction of the two roads leading to town. Here both parties halted-the military escort in open order, and with arms presented awaited the approach of the sacred remains-the Lowell Band, which ac- companied them, playing a beautiful dirge, composed by Kurick. Flagg's Brass Band, which accompanied the escort, then performed the dirge, "Peace, trou-
bled ; " after which the escort fell into position and the procession, including the remains, proceeded to the monument. Eight venerable citizens of Acton, all of them over seventy years of age, appeared as pall-bearers. They were: Joseph Harris, Dr. Charles Tuttle, each eighty-two years old ; Nathan D. Hosmer (nephew of Abner), eighty ; John Harris, Daniel Barker and James Keyes, each seventy-six years ; Jonathan Barker, seventy-four; and Lemuel Hil- dreth, seventy. The hearse was driven by John Tenney.
Upon arriving at the monument the box contain- ing the remains was placed upon a stand in the street, which was covered with a black velvet pall. The box was opened and an opportunity given to all who wished to look upon the remains. The box was then closed and deposited in the monument in the place designed for it. The procession was then again formed and proceeded to the tent, under which the remaining scenes of the day were to take place.
The tent was hung around with streamers festooned and in the centre was the beautiful flag which had recently been presented hy the ladies of Acton to the "Davis Guards." The tent was reached about one o'clock. Rev. J. T. Woodbury, president of the day, called upon Rev. Mr. Frost, of Concord, to invoke a blessing on the table and the day. An original hymn composed by Rev. Henry Durant, of Byfield, a native of Acton, was sung to the tune of "Hamburg." The first and sixth of the seven stanzas are here given
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