History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 157

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 157

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the Causeway Street Station, Boston, was in the southwest corner of the main building; while the telegraph and freight office, baggage-room and a waiting-room were in an ell, now used as Kelleran's junk-shop, on Groton Street. The new ell aud cov- ered walk between the Boston and Maine tracks was built in 1871, and that road straightened to the north by taking out a large part of the hill on which Dr. Willis' and E. H. Hayward's houses now are.

The iron pillars that, in a row each side of the Fitchburg track, once assisted in sustaining the roof of the station were replaced by the trusses in 1871, and are now the roof supports of the upper story of Spaulding's Block, at the corner of Main and Wash- ington Streets. The main building of the station is upon the land of the Fitchburg Company, while the ell is upon the land of the Boston and Maine Com- pany. The Worcester and Nashua freight-house was built about 1848, and the color, a light slate, suggested to President Swift, of the Fitchburg road, the like color so long used on its local freight cars.

The centralizing here of these great railroad sys- tems has thus afforded direct and through service with the four points of the compass. Distance to be traveled is now measured in hours and minutes and not in miles. We are less than an hour from Boston on the through expresses, and have over fifteen trains per day each way. Being on the Hoosac Tunnel Route, we are, as a shipping point to all places west, unsurpassed. The equipment of both railroads is un- equaled; and we are afforded every railroad advantage which the age can boast.

If we may be permitted to indulge in geometrical figures we cau say that we are at a common apex of three practically equilateral triangles-Ayer, Fitch- burg, Nashua; Ayer, Nashua, Lowell; Ayer, Boston, Worcester.

The first station agent of the Fitchburg Railroad was Andrew J. Gardner, who served in that capacity until January 22, 1849, when David Chambers was appointed to that place. When the Union Station was first opened Andrew Gardner, a son of Andrew J. Gardner, was the agent of the Worcester and Nashua Road. He was succeeded in 1851 by Mr. Snow. Mr. Chambers was agent until August, 1854, when he re- signed to accept a position on the Philadelphia, Wil- mington and Baltimore Railroad, under S. N. Fenton, the former superintendent of the Fitchburg Railroad. Mr. Gardner was one of the most prominent and active citizens of our village, and during his short residence here was always actively interested in everything of a public nature. In 1851 he built a small store at the corner of Main and Washington Streets, which for two years was the only store in the village. He also kept the restaurant in the depot. About the time of his arrival here was the first accident at this station of any considerable magnitude. Through a mis- placed switch, several car-loads of iron were sent in on the side-track in the arch on the southerly side of

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the station, and their momentum was so great that they passed completely through the building, includ- ing the restaurant, to the Worcester and Nashua track.

There is probably no man living to-day whose con- nections with the railroads of Massachusetts, particu- larly of the Fitchburg, are so interesting as those of David Chambers. He camc to Boston from Wil- mington, Delaware, early in the forties, with the en- gine "Bunker Hill," for the Charlestown Branch Railroad Company. This road, the location of which from Block Island to Charlestown, is now the Fitch- burg Railroad, was built exclusively for the transport- ation of ice from Fresh and Spy Ponds to Tudor's Wharf. He superintended the setting up of the "Bunker Hill," which was the second engine owned by the above company and afterwards ran her. May 5, 1843, he was conducting the train that, with the engine "Tudor," ran off Long Bridge, between Som- erville and Charlestown, into the river, and received serious, and what for a long time were thought to be fatal injuries. He, however, recovered, and Septem -. ber 1, 1843, entered the employ of the Fitchburg Railroad, which at that time had been built from Block Island to Hill's Crossing, and was the first en- gineer ever employed by the Fitchburg Company. He ran as engineer until January, 1849, when he as- sumed the duties of station agent at Groton Junction. He was the first enginecr to run a passenger train over every mile of the Fitchburg Railroad from Block Island to Miller's Falls, then known as Grout's Corner.

July 4, 1846, with the engine "Fitchburg" and a baggage-car, he left Charlestown at 10 A.M. and reached Fitchburg fifty-two minutes later. This run was made in opposition to the Boston and Lowell Railroad for Montreal mails, and is one of the most remarkable railroad runs on record. On one portion of the road the train ran eleven miles in nine min- utes, Mr. Bigelow, afterwards superintendent of the Fitchburg Railroad, holding the watch. The mails via the Fitchburg reached Montreal at that time about eight hours earlier than those that left via Bos- ton and Lowell, both trains leaving Boston at the same time.

Upon leaving here in 1854 he became the yard-mas- ter, under Mr. Fenton, at Philadelphia, a position that he still holds. ¢

Mr. Snow succeeded Mr. Chambers as station agent at Groton Junction, and became the agent for the three roads. He continued to discharge the duties of that position until the spring of 1858, when his place was taken by a Mr. Harris, who was killed iu July of that year in the yard while shackling cars.

Edmund Dana Bancroft was the next agent at this place. Mr. Bancroft's railroad experience began as clerk for Norman C. Munson while the latter was constructing the Stony Brook Railroad. October 16, 1848, Mr. Bancroft was appointed station agent iu

Shirley, where he remained until his removal to Gro- ton Junction, where he served as station agent until October 1, 1869.

Mr. Bancroft's successor was Charles E. Morrison, who was formerly a clerk in Mr. Bancroft's employ. Mr. Morrison was succeeded by Samuel Anderson, who came here from Lancaster, assuming charge in June, 1878. February 19, 1884, Mr. Anderson was appointed agent at Fitchburg, and James M. Flem- ming, of this town, became his successor. February 1, 1885, Mr. Flemming resigned to accept a more lu- crative position in the employ of the Fitchburg Com- pany, and Clarence H. Kinney, the present incum- bent, formerly of Nashua, was appointed to his place.

POST-OFFICE .- June 1, 1849, a post-office at South Groton was established, and Andrew Boynton Gard- ner was appointed postmaster. The office was at first in a small building on the northerly side of Main Street, between West Street and the Boston and Maine Railroad. Mr. Gardner subsequently moved the office to the corner of Main and Washington Sts., in the store afterwards owned by George W. Stuart. Mr. Garduer served as postmaster until August 11, 1853, when he was succeeded by Harvey Alpheus Woods, who moved the office into his new block, now known as Cushing's Building, when completed, . where it was kept by him until December 30, 1861. George Henry Brown was appointed his successor. By Mr. Brown the office was removed to his drug- store, in the northerly store of Union Hall Build- ing, on Merchant's Row. Mr. Brown retained the office less than a year, being succeeded, December 5, 1862, by William Holmes Harlow. Mr. Harlow kept the office in Harvey A. Woods' store. Mr. Brown became postmaster again in 1863, retaining the office until July 18, 1868, when he was again succeeded by Mr. Harlow, who moved it into Harlow's building, between West Street and Boston and Maine Railroad.

After the great fire of April, 1872, Mr. Harlow reopened the office in Newell & Balch's building, between Main Street and the railroad, east of the Milk-Stand. Leonard A. Buck became postmaster March 31, 1873. He moved the office to the middle store of Harvey A. Woods' building, on what is now the Fillebrown lot, and subsequently to the easterly store of Mead's Block, and finally to the westerly store of the same block, where it now is. Mr. Buck, becoming financially involved, changed his residence to Florida, and during the balance of his unexpired term the office was conducted by Rector T. Bartlett, one of his bondsmen.

Edmund Dana Bancroft was appointed Mr. Buck's successor, March 2, 1883. By him the office was reconstructed, and, for the first time since its estab- lishment, was conducted in a room used exclusively for post-office purposes. With a method and system characteristic of him, Mr. Bancroft made a model postmaster. For political reasons he was succeeded, March 3, 1887, by the present incumbcut, Patrick

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Donlon, Jr., by whom the high standard and effi- ciency established by Mr. Bancroft has been main- tained, and his conduct of the office has given emi- nent satisfaction to all its patrons.

The post-office was established as South Groton. March 1, 1862, the name was changed to Groton Junction. Mr. Woods, the former postmaster, in- formed me that the reason of the change was that the name was frequently confounded by the postal clerks with South Gardner, which resulted in annoying mis- sending of the mails. March 21, 1871, the name was changed to that which it now bears.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE .- The first line of electric telegraph built to this village was from Low- ell, and was owned by Jonathan Johnson. The of- fice was in the old restaurant on the south side of the depot, Benjamin Franklin Felch being the operator. The first message transmitted over the line was June 19. 1852, announcing the nomination of Winfield Scott for President, by the Whig party.

Joseph W. Peck and Leonard A. Buck were the first parties to whom the American Bell Telephone Company granted a license to conduct telephone business in this town under their patents. The first Jine was built from Lowell to Fitchburg via Ayer, and an office was established in the rear of the post- office. This was in the summer of 1880.

Nellie Frances Kittridge was appointed manager in February, 1881, an office she has held to the pres- ent time. The uniform courtesy and the obliging disposition she has ever manifested has made the exchange most pleasant and useful to the patrons and public. Shortly after her appointment the office was moved to its present quarters, in Spaulding's Block.

Mr. Buck conveyed his interest to George G. Day in 1882. In August, of the same year, Day conveyed his one-half to Mr. Peck, by whom the corporation known as the Ayer Telephone Exchange Company was formed. The new corporation, however, man- aged the business but a short time, selling out to the New England Telegraph and Telephone Company, by whom the business has since been conducted.

CHAPTER LIII.

AYER-( Continued).

Schools-Library -- Water-works.

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-HOUSES .- Until some time subsequent to 1734 it is supposed that the only school in Groton was at the middle of the town. In 1741 the inhabitants voted to have the school kept in five places, six weeks in each place. In 1742 the number of places was increased to seven, one of which is sup- posed to be in our vicinity, though its location can- not now be defined with any certainty. This public

extravagance, however, did not long continue, for, in 1745, a committee chosen to consider and report con- cerning the schools, recommended that "all such as live more than two miles, or thereabout [from the middle of the town], shall be so far eased as to em- body amongst themselves, and upon their employing either a master or school-dame, shall draw the whole of what they pay to the school rate in said town."

As this report was accepted and ordered to be re- corded, it would seem that our vicinity was thus deprived of the benefit of the public school. Whether they did " embody amongst themselves " and employ "either a master or a school-dame" cannot now be ascertained. For several years, beginning 1758, the grammar school was some time kept in the south part of the town. In 1760 the school-house in this vicinity was burned, and I am unable to learn when its successor was built, and whether it was upon the site of the former building. It, however, seems cer- tain that the new school-house was erected upon the northerly side of Main Street, on the site of the present Fillebrown building. It was a one-story wooden building and was used as a school until about 1820, when a brick building was erected, of which more is said hereafter. The old building was sold and moved to near the present site of the hose-house of the Alfred Page Hose Company, at the corner of West Main and Park Streets, and just prior to the advent of the railroads was occupied by Abigail, better known as "Nabby," Chapin. It was subse- quently purchased by James Coughlin, who moved it on to a lot back of Merchant's Row. It was the only building left standing on the row in the big fire of 1870. It was subsequently moved on tothe Acrc and is now standing on the southerly side of Shirley Street, ju-t easterly of the dwelling-house of Michael Murphy. It is undoubtedly one of the oldest build- ings in our town.

A committee appointed by the inhabitants of Gro- ton, April 2, 1792, " To consider how many districts are necessary to be made and to ascertain the bound- aries and see where the several houses shall be set," reported at the town-meeting held September 17th, of the same year, that there ought to be twelve districts. District No. 5, which included the limits of our vil- lage, was as follows : "5. Mr. Jonas Stone's District begins at the widow Sibil Stone's and includes Thos. . Woods, David Dwinell and all the Families to Har- vard line and that the school-housc be and remain where it now stands." Jonas Stone owned what was later the Calvin Fletcher farm and lived in the red house, formerly standing opposite the site of the pumping station. Sibil Stone lived on the farm now owned by Asa S. Burgess, known as the Holden farm. I am unable to say where Dwinell or Woods lived. Two years previous to the last vote a census of the children-males under twenty-one and females under eighteen years of age-reported that there were thirty-nine in Jonas Stone's district.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

A new and what proved to be a permanent divi- sion of the town into districts was made in 1805, of which Nos. 11 and 12 appear to be in our town : .

"No. XI. Beginning at Snake Hill, so called, thence running south- easterly as tho road goos, by Sandy pond, till it comes to tho County road near Aaron Bigelow's, thence running westerly, as said County road goes, to a small house, where Oliver Blood (3d) now lives, includ- ing the land which he now occupies, and running from said Bigelow's easterly, as the County road goes, to Littleton liue, and running north- erly from the school-house at said County road, near where Caleb Symmes now lives, as the town way goes by Elisha Young's to Rockey hill, so called, near Tobacco pipe plain ; including all the inhabitants on hoth sides of said roads and within said limits ; and also including the occupants of the farm lying easterly thereof, formerly owned by Daniel Farwell ; and also including all the inhabitants living southerly of the County road aforesaid to Harvard line."

The road by Sandy Pond is what is now known as the Snake Hill Road. The County Road is the road from Ayer to Pingryville via Sandy Pond. Aaron Bigelow lived on "the road by Sandy Pond," between the County Road and the railroads. Oliver Blood (3d) lived on the southerly side of the County Road, about one-half way from Waugh's crossing to Sandy Pond. Caleb Symmes lived near Sandy Pond Sta- tion. Elisha Young's was the Levi S. Brigham" place. Rocky Hill and Tobacco Pipe Plain are just beyond there. Daniel Farwell lived where George Little now lives.

"No. XII. Beginning at the crotch of the roads near Morgan place so called, thence running southeasterly, as the County road goes, by Stone's saw-mill, so called, to the small honse, where Oliver Blood (3d) now lives ; and from said saw-mill sontherly, as the County road goes, to Harvard line ; ineluding all the inhabitants ou both sides of said roads, and living southerly and westerly thereof to the lines of Harvard and Shirley ; and also ineluding all the inhabitants living on the road leading from the crotch of the roads south of Jolin Fisk's house to Stone's mill, and on the road leading from the crotch of the roads afore- said to John Park's house, and all within the limits aforesaid."

The Morgan place was near where Charles Woods lives. John Fisk lived on what is now the Asa S. Graves place.

The limits of the districts as thus established con- tinued until the incorporation of the town of Ayer. The brick school-house that stood on the northerly side of Main Street was built in the early part of this century to replace the wooden one before mentioned. It was a square, one-story, hipped-roofed building, whose prototype may be seen in the Prescott School, between Groton and Ridge Hill. It was the only school building in District No. 12, till 1852, when the town erected on the present school-hcuse lot, on Main Street, a one-story wooden building, later known as the Grammar or White School. This building was moved, in 1865, to the town-lot, on the northerly side of Main Street, near the Milk Stand, and raised to the second story, the fire-engine and hook-and- ladder apparatus occupying the first floor, with the lock-up in the basement. Here the overflow from the grammar school in Harmony Hall formed the nucleus of our first high school.

The old brick school-house was sold at auction in 1855, and purchased by Major Hiram P. Ross, wlio used the bricks in the construction of the basement

of his soap factory, which was then being built on Tannery Street. About 1858 a building on the east- erly side of Columbia Street was used for a school- room for a short time. The brick school-house on Wash- ington Street was built about 1859, and, until it was de- stroyed in the great fire of 1872, was occupied by a primary and intermediate school. A wooden build- ing of two rooms was built immediately after the fire, and the capacity doubled by an extension to the east in 1883. The present brick school building on Main Street was built in 1867. During the summer and fall of 1871 a school was kept in part of the old Catholic Church. The Shirley Strcet building was erected in 1872. For a short time after the big fire a room in Woods' Block, on Main Street, was occupied by the primary school. In 1871 there was considerable agi- tation about a new school-house, and the committee chosen to select a site decided upon the lot of land at the easterly side of Pearl and southerly side of Groton Streets, but no further steps were taken than this. Main Street brick school was built in 1867.

The first school building in District No. 11 was erected in the latter part of the last century. It was sold at auction in 1806. A new one was built in 1810 (size twenty-four by eighteen feet) and as it cost only $198, it could not have been a very elaborate struc- ture. It, however, served the purposes of the dis- trict until about 1820, when it was replaced by a brick structure, erected by John Pingry. This latter was destroyed by fire about 1850, and, while being rebuilt, the school was kept at what is now the Brigham place. The present building was erected by Levi S. Brigham in 1870. The records of this district from 1806 to 1869 are now in the possession of the Massa- chusetts Historical Society, and are among the most complete in the Commonwealth, and I regret that this article will not permit a more extended quotation than that of the first meeting :

" At a School Meeting at the School-house in District No. 11 in the Southerly part of Groton legally warned & assembled this 25th day of March 1806. The following Votes were passed. Viz.

" Ist. Voted & Chose Mr Sam! Farnsworth Moderator.

"2d. Voted & Chose Caleb Symnies Clerk.

"3d. Voted & Chose Capt Samson Farusworth a committee to hire a School Mistress.

" 4th. Voted that the Mistress' board be put up to the lowest bidder -- Mr Sam Peirce being the lowest bidder the Mistress board was struck off to him at Ninety Nine Cents a Week.

"5th. Voted that the school begin the first Monday in May next.

"6th. Voted that Capt. Samson Farnsworth be a Committee to warn the next School meeting.

" 7th. Voted that four days at least shall he a legal warning : for next School meeting.

", 8th. Voted that the meeting be dissolved & it is dissolved aceord- ingly. Attest,

CALEB SYMMES, Clerk."

I have in my possession the records of District No. 12 from March 1, 1838, to March 1, 1869. Bound up with them are printed cxtracts from Chap- ter XXIII. of the Revised Statutes, " together withi the By-laws of the town of Groton in relation to schools." The town was at that time divided into four-

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teen districts, of which No. 11 and 12 retained the limits established in 1808.

At a meeting of District No. 12, held March 3, 1857, it was voted to divide the district into two parts : all that portion southerly of the Fitchburg Railroad and easterly of the Worcester and Nashua Railroad to constitute one district and the balance to constitute the other part.

From 1860 to 1871 there was seldom a town-meeting at Groton in which there was not some kind of an appeal for better school accommodations at Groton Junction. The first effort to obtain a high school here was an appeal made to the parent town, at a meeting of School District No. 12, held March 2, 1863. Novem- ber 6, 1866, the town voted to indefinitely postpone an article in the warraut "to see if the town will vote to have the Town High School kept at Groton Junction a part of the year." A similar article was indefinitely postponed April 1, 1867. April 6, 1868, a motion to appropriate five hundred dollars for the support of a High School at Groton Junction was lost. March 2, 1868, at a meeting of School District No. 12, another appeal for a high school was made, which likewise proved unavailing. In the meantime a high grammar, sometimes incorrectly spoken of as a high school, was beguu in the engine hall on the town-lot on Main Street, and, on the completion of the brick school-house on Main Street, was transferred to the room now occupied by the high school.

It remained, however, for the new town to estab- lish a high school, and the success they have attained in this direction is due chiefly to James Powell, its first principal. Mr. Powell came here from Danvers, Mass. He was a graduate of the State Normal School at Bridgewater, and entered upon his duties here August 28, 1871. When he assumed the manage- ment of the school everything was in a chaotic state; and that he was able to establish a graded school and graduate the first class in four years, la- boring against the conservatism, not to say prejudice, of many of the citizens, testify to the ability and un- selfishness of the devotion that he brought to his work. The High School is truly a monument to him, for he gave to it the best years of his life. He came here fresh from his alma mater, and when he left us to assume the position of principal of the High School at Keene, N. H., his health had become so shattered that he survived but two years. Since its establishment our High School has graduated one hundred and eleven: The growth of our public school is interesting. In 1792 the number of children in Jonas Stone's district, (nales under twenty-one and females under eighteen) was thirty-nine. In 1830 the number in the saine district was eighty-five. The railroads found us in 1845 with one small school- bouse. In 1859 there were over 300 scholars. To- day three school buildings and ten schools are barely adequate to accommodate the 527 scholars who at- tended school in 1889, in what was formerly "Jonas

Stone's District." We must further bear in mind that the census, taken under the district system, em- braced all children, while the number now reported by the School Committee, includes only those actually attending the schools. The growth in District No. 11 has not been so marked. In 1806 thic census of childreu (males under twenty-one and females under eighteen) in District No. 11 was forty-two. The average number of children now attending school there is about twenty.

The cause of education in the village owes a debt of gratitude to Doctor Benjamin H. Hartwell, who has served upon the School Board almost continuously since the incorporatiou of the town. Iu the days of its infancy the cause of the High School always found in him a faithful and fearless champion, and he has the satisfaction, oft denied to others, of living to see his views supersede the conservative opposition of his opponents.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY .- The Groton Public Li- brary, while free to the citizens of this village, was located at too great a distance to be of any practical advantage to them. There were various measures looking toward the establishment of libraries in con- nection with the district schools. In 1843 a commit- tee of five was appointed by the citizens of Groton, at their March meeting, to take into consideration the feasibility of establishing libraries of ten volumes each in the various school districts; but the idea was too far in advance of the times, and nothing further came of it. At a town-meeting held March 7th, 1864, under an article " to see if the town will allow a portion of the town library to be kept at Groton Junction, or act in any way in relation to the same," the subject of the matter was referred to the follow- ing committee : Abel Prescott, George W. Bancroft and Rev. David Fosdick, Jr. This committee re- ported at the adjourned April meeting, but as their re- port is not on file, and the object sought did not come to use, it is probable either that the report was un- favorable or its results suppressed.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 157

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226