History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 158

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 158

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April 2, 1866, the town voted to indefinitely post- pone the article asking if the town would adopt any measure to make the town library more available to the citizens of Groton Junction and vicinity. At the last town-meeting held while we were a part of the parent town, it was voted "that the books of the town library be divided, giving to the proposed new town of Ayer their proportion according to valuation, and that the selectmen be a committee to act with the selectmen of the said new town to make said division,

The action of this meeting never resulted in any benefit to this town, as the subject of the matter of the division of the town property was subsequently arranged on a different basis.

We were, however, not entirely without a library all these years. About 1852. there was established, largely through private contributions, a library free

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

to all the inhabitants of School District No. 12. The books were at one time kept in the White School- house ; afterwards, while George W. Stuart was li- brarian, they were kept at his store, and subsequently at the dwelling-house of Samuel K. Merrill.

The great difficulty in perpetuating this library was that it was altogether too free, so much so that the takers of books felt under no obligations to re- turn them, and, for want of proper care, they all dis- appeared within fifteen years from the foundation of the library.

In 1869 an association known as the Musical and Literary Club was formed in this village. They gave a series of entertainments and sustained a course of lectures, the proceeds of which were devoted to the purchase of a library. About one hundred dollars was raised and expended in books, the selection being made by the following committee, chosen by the club Feb. 7, 1870: Miss Lottie E. Hartwell, Mrs. G. C. Brock, Mrs. E. H. Hayward, Mrs. Martha E. Cooper and Miss Hattie Fletcher, to which was afterward added Mr. P. C. Lathrop and Benjamin H. Hartwell. The committee thus chosen reported to the club, March 28th, that they had performed the duty assigned to them. March 28, 1871, the library committee of the club advised "that the club would, at the town-meeting to be held on the first Monday in April, present all the books now in its library to the town, on condition that they would appropriate a certain sum of money for the purpose of starting a town library, and furnish a suitable room and neces- sary appurtenances for the same."

At a town meeting held April 3, 1871, it was " voted that the selectmen be a committee to receive books that may be presented to the town, and also to appro- priate one hundred dollars for books to meet the pro- posal of the Literary Club, who have agreed to give their library to the town of Ayer, it consisting of about one hundred dollars' worth of books, on con- dition that the said town appropriate the said sum of one hundred dollars for the addition of books to said library." Also, " voted that the following trustees be chosen : Ebenezer C. Willard, three years; Lewis Blood, two years ; Oliver K. Pierce, one year." At the same time Benjamin H. Hartwell gave to the town for the benefit of the library the sum of $50, to be ex- pended in the purchase of books.

The first librarian of the town was Levi Sherwin, and the books were kept in his storc. In the great fire of April, 1872, the entire library, with the excep- tion of such books as were then in circulation (being about seventy-five in number), was destroyed. After the fire 135 volumes were added, and the library was re-opencd in G. C. Brock's store, then on Merchant's Row. April 10, 1873, the number of volumes in the library was 554. Mr. Brock acted as librarian for about a year. He was succceded by Edwin H. Hay- wood, and the library was moved to his store in Page's new brick block, where it was opened in April, 1873.

He made to the town, in 1874, the first report of the library, which is as follows :

" The whole number of books in the library, 555, of which 200 volumes were added one year ago, just previous of my receiving the books ; 10,444 applica- tions for books have been made during ten and one- half months, and those chiefly from a list of less than 100 books, subjecting the books to much wear and tear ; 89 volumes have not been called for, and 181 less than three times; have paid for repairing, re- binding and material for covering, $10.87 ; have col- lected as fines, $2.40 ; from outside parties, $2; bal- ance, $6.49 ; received from Lyceum Committee, $40, to be appropriated for the purchase of books."

Sept. 23, 1874, Henry C. Rolf and George H. Allen were appointed trustees. Feb. 20, 1875, the number of volumes in the library was 681. March, 1875, Benjamin H. Hartwell was appointed a trustee of the library, an office that he has held continuously to the present time. In 1880 the number of volumes in the library was 1361. Leonard A. Buck was the next librarian, and by him the library was moved to the post-office in Mead Block, where they remained until the summer of 1882, when they were transferred to the town-house. Aug. 28, 1884, Flora Lucy Bigelow was appointed trustee and librarian. April 1, 1890, the number of books in the library was 2769. The Ayer Lyceum has made contributions to the library fund at different times.

The necessity which the library trustees have al- ways felt for the necessary funds to equip it with . standard books has been generously met by Frederick Fanning Ayer, Esq., of New York City, son of the late Dr. James Cook Ayer. April 23, 1890, the select- men received from Mr. Ayer the following letter :

" NEW YORK, April 21, 1890.

" To the Selectmen of the Town of Ayer, Mass .:

"GENTLEMEN :- I desire to communicate with some one who may represent you or your town with reference to your Public Library. I would like in some way to contribute to the Library, or Library Fund, remembering when I was in Ayer that you were not very well supplied with books. If you will send some one to New York (at my expense) who will represent the interests of the Town in the matter, it will afford me much gratification to confer with him.

" I have the honor to remain, Gentlemen, "Respectfully Yours, "F. F. AYER."

In response to the request contained in the forego- ing, Dr. Benjamin H. Hartwell, acting under the au- thority of the selectmen and trustees, visited New York City, and as the result of the conference with Mr. Ayer, the following letter was forwarded to the select- men :

"NEW YORK, April 30, 1890.

" To the Selectmen of the town of Ayer, Ayer, Massachusetts :

"GENTLEMEN :- You are hereby authorized to draw on mno for an amount not exceeding five thousand dollars for the purchase of books for the Public Library of the Town of Ayer, a list, or lists of said books having boen first submitted to and approved by me in writing ; all of said books to become and romain the sole and exclusive proporty of the Town of Ayer.

" Respectfully yours, ".F. F. AYER."

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In pursuance of these negotiations, the town voted to transfer the library from the room in the south- west corner of the Town-House to the east side, taking for a book-room what had formerly been the pantry, and building another room of equal size, from the store-room, to be used as a public room for the patrons of the library ; and at the date of writing the trustees have in preparation a list of books to be submitted to Mr. Ayer for his approval.

This offer by Mr. Ayer, coming unexpected as it did, very properly filled our citizens with gratitude toward the generous donor. In pursuance of a call issued by the selectmen, a mass-meeting was held in the Town Hall, at which the following resolutions were nnanimously adopted :

WHEREAS, Frederick F. Ayer, Esq., of New York City, bas given to our town the sum of $5,000 to be expended in the purchase of books for the Public Library, a sum that will place it npon a par with that of any other town of onr size in the Commonwealth ; therefore be it

" Resolved : that we, the inhabitants of the town of Ayer, in public meeting assembled, extend to Mr. Ayer the expression of our full appreciation and heartfelt thanks for his handsome and timely remem- brance.

" Resolved : that for no other purpose conld there be expended a like anm that would entail so enduring and widespread benefits to our people, and so enhance the future well-being and good name of our town.

" Resolved : that this is a munificent act, and a noble and loving trib- nte to the memory of him whose name our town hears.

" Resolved : that it is the sense of this meeting that these resolutions be spread npon the town records, and that a copy with the proceedings of this meeting be sent to Mr. Ayer."

WATER WORKS .- For a score of years the question of a system of water works had been under discussion by this town, but until the summer of 1886 failed to attract any considerable shareof public attention. In 1877 there was a movement on the part of a committee of citizens to utilize the pond hole on the town farm, and September 5, 1877, the town appropriated the sum of $250 for the purpose of testing its capacity and pur- ity. In 1880 another move was made ; this time a com- petent engineer was employed to make surveys and re- port on the practicability, cost, etc., of a water sys- tem. This move, however, resulted in nothing more than the payment by the town of bills incurred by the committee. In the summer of 1886 a firm of contractors by the name of Turner, Dillaway & Raw- son made to the town a proposition to construct a system of water works in the town, the same to be managed by them as a private corporation. The sub- ject of their proposal was brought before the town at a public meeting held August 26. 1886, and a committee, composed of James R. Gray, Andrew Atwood, George J. Burns, Leonard J. Spaulding, Edwin H. Hayward, Charles C. Bennett and Henry C. Sherwin, was chosen, who reported at a subsequent meeting, recom- mending that the town construct for itself a system of water works, and the same committee were author- ized to petition the Legislature of 1887 for authority to build the works, and the act authorizing said build- ing was passed, and approved April 5, 1887. The act is interesting as being the third passed in this Commonwealth, in which authority was granted to

take the water of a great pond without being liable to pay any damages resulting therefrom, "other than the Commonwealth itself would be legally liable to pay." The town promptly accepted the provisions of the act, and elected James R. Gray, Andrew Atwood and Leonard J. Spauding water commissioners, under whose direction the construction of the works was immediately begun.

In the fall preceding, anticipating the action of the town, and fearing that there might be a disposition of property, the gentlemen composing the town commit- tee purchased, on their own responsibility, the Balch mill site, which they subsequently conveyed to the town at the price they paid for it. It was at first pro- posed to conduct water from Sandy Pond to the vi- cinity of this mill, by gravity, and from thence to pump it on to the hill near the poor farm, where the reservoir was to be constructed ; but these plans were changed, and a large well dug on the Balch meadow lot. The works were completed and water was start- ed in the early fall of 1887, since which time the town has ever congratulated itself on the happy move it has made ; and the works are rapidly being placed on a paying basis. The water-power owned by the town furnishes, except in an extraordinary dry sea- son, sufficient power to operate the pumps; an auxil- iary steam plant has, however, been added. The water is of remarkable purity and the natural head amply sufficient for fire purposes. Since its introduction the use of the hand fire-engine has been abandoned, and two elegant hose carriages purchased, and two hose companies organized, the " Benjamin H. Hartwell Hose Company," stationed at the town-house, and the "Alfred Page Hose Company," stationed at what was formerly the Hook-and-Ladder Company house, at the corner of West Main and Park Streets.

CHAPTER LIV.

AYER-( Continued).

Industries-Ancient Mills-Manufactories-Newspapers.

As the early settlers of Groton were largely agri- cultural, and their remoteness from the older settle- ments so great, that the interchange of their raw pro- ducts for wrought or manufactured articles was prac- tically impossible, a public mill at which their corn could be ground became indispensable. The advant- ages afforded by the falls of the three brooks, now within the limits of Ayer, were early appreciated, and it is probable that mills were erected upon them at an early day.

The following vote, partly illegible, passed at a meeting of the proprietors of Groton, on July 21, 1665, clearly refers to thèse sites :

"& by votte d. . . Consent of the town yt noe . . . haue leberty . . . to take vp any land by way of exchange or otber way vpon Sandey

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

pond brooke, and between yt and the magors brooke and South brooke till such tim as the milles acomodations be layed out."

The pumping station is on Sandy Pond Brook, Phelps' Mill upon Major's Brook, and the Shakers' Mill and thic sites of the old mills at Pingry Village are upon South Brook.

It is probable that this vote is a reservation of thesc lands for the mill purposes. After several attempts to secure a corn-mill, the proprietors of Groton made an agreement with John Prescott, of Lancaster, on Sep- tember 29, 1667, which resulted in the erection of a mill in the southerly part of the town, now within the limits of Harvard, on what, from that mill, has since been known as Mill Brook. The site of the original mill has until recently been occupied by J. W. Bacon's glue factory. The contract made with Prescott was clearly to his advantage, and the provision, that his should be the only public corn-miil within the limits of Groton for twenty years, was not calculated to stimulate a healthy competition in that line of busi- ness.

The reason for building the mill at such a distance from the centre of the town, and thus rejecting other equally good if not superior sites nearer that settlement, was undoubtedly to enable Prescott to have the ad- vantage of the patronage of both Groton and Lancas- ter.

The mill being had, a highway to it became neces- sary, and this, from its destination, was known as the "Mill Highway." It subsequently (1673) became the new Lancaster highway, and is more particularly men- tioned in another chapter. As the highway passed near the falls upon Sandy Pond Brook, this site was made eligible. When a mill was first erected here I am unable to say. In the inventory of the estate of John Page, who was the original proprietor of the land on which the mill, until recently, stood, it ap- pears that the dam for flowing the meadow, probably for the purpose of power, was in existence in 1712.

The first was a saw-mill and continued as such un- til sold by Harvey A. Woods to Joseph and Mehetable Thompson, on February 25, 1864. The mill and site were purchased in 1887 by the town of Ayer to afford power for water-works. A brick pumping-station was erected and the old mill-building torn down. In the deed of James Patterson to John Sollendine, dated January 28, 1733, mention is made of a saw-mill on Coycus Brook. This is the site now occupied by Phelps' mill. In the deed of Henry Farwell to George Pierce, dated April 11, 1758, of this property, two mills are mentioned, and in the advertisement of sale of Pierce's property, September 27, 1773 (see "Taverns ") one of these mills is described as a saw-mill " new last year."

On the southeasterly side of the highway to Groton via Park Street, and near the Groton line, may clearly be seen the remains of a dam that once converted the waters of James Brook into power. In the descrip- tion of the lands of John Farnsworth (Early Records

of Groton, page 182) is " a piece of swamp land lye- ing betwixt thic pond at John Page's saw-mill and the bridg that goes to Nonicoycus, bounded round by the towns common land." This entry was made De- cember 9, 1680, and furnishes undisputable evidence of the existence of this mill at that early date. In a description of the same lands in a deed from John Farnsworth to Abraham Moors, February 5, 1716, mention is made of Mill Pond, "with three quarters part of an old saw-mill thereon now standing." It will be observed that it is here called "an old saw- mill." This is the earliest unmistakable evidence of a mill-site in this town. Upon Pine Meadow Brook are to be seen the remains of an old dam, and William Sawtell, who died at" Groton a few years since, has told me that he could remember traces of the mill itself. I can, however, find no mention of it in the early deeds.

About the middle of the last century there was a grist-mill at Pingry Village, the dam of which may be seen on the south side of the present highway via Rural Home. The mill itself stood on the north side of South Brook, at the foot of Brown Hill, a short distance west of the road to Sandy Pond School-house. Very little is known of its history. It had been aband- oned and was in ruins at the beginning of this cen- tury. About 1820 Joseph Hartwell built a fulling and coloring mill on South Brook at Pingry Village, and ran it as such about fourteen years, and sold the mill to Lyman Whitcomb, who changed it into a wood- working establishment, manufacturing lumber and shingles, and did some cabinet work. About five years later Whitcomb sold the establishment to John Pingry and Nathaniel Whitemore, who converted it into a regular saw-mill. In 1852 they sold it to Charles Snow, who manufactured pencils here until about 1869, when Mr. Whitemore again became the owner and subsequently sold it to Levi S. Brigham, whose property it was when destroyed by fire July 15, 1872. When owned by Hartwell there was an ell attached, which he occupied as a dwelling-house. This was subsequently purchased by Phineas Nutting, who moved it to a lot between there and the Shakers' saw-mill, where it stood until destroyed by fire a few years since.

All traces of mill-sites have now disappeared from Pingry Village. The dams have been broken down, and the meadows, once covered by the waters of the mill-pond, have been drained, and the land reclaimed for agriculture.

The Shakers' saw-mill, also on South Brook, was built by the United Society in 1808, and it is the only mill-site in town still performing under the original proprietors the work for which it was originally built.

The water-power of the Nashua River at Mitchel- ville, was first utilized by Joshua Longley, of Shirley, who built a dam here and erccted a grist-mill in 1790. The mill was ucar the highway and directly opposite

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the dwelling-house now owned by John and William Chisholm. The canal above and below the mill was constructed by plowing and flowing water over it. Subsequently Longley built a saw-mill in connection with the grist-mill. The original buildings were de- stroyed by the fire at the time the Mitchell Shoddy- mill was burned on August 4, 1873. It was through the influence of Joshua Longley that the first bridge was erected over the Nashua River at this point. What is now the chief mill-site and water-power at Mitchellville was first utilized by Whitcomb, Edgar- ton, Priest & Co., who built here a four-engine paper- mill in the early part of this century. This mill was burned on June 15, 1837. Eli Page, the father of Thomas H. and Alfred Page, bought the farm and entire privilege in November, 1839. He rebuilt the paper-mill in 1841 and 1842, and leased it to Carter & Wilder, of Lancaster, for the term of twenty years. Carter, just before he failed, sold the lease to Hollings- worth, who sold to Stephen Roberts, by whom it was run until the expiration of the lease, at which time the mill had so far gone to decay that it had practi- cally tumbled down. Mr. Page rebuilt the mill in 1862 and shortly after sold it, and the power con- nected therewith, to John Roberts, by whom it was operated until it was destroyed by fire on January 5, 1866. Roberts then sold it to a syndicate who had conceived of the project of bringing the power up hill into our village. For philosophical reasons the scheme did not work. In 1871 the privilege was sold to William Mitchell, who built a handsome, three-story, brick mill, and engaged in the manufac- ture of wool-shoddies. The plant was destroyed by fire on August 4, 1873. Since that time the privi- lege has been idle. Had it not been for innumerable and narrow-minded "ifs," the valuable power that for seventeen years has run to waste, would have been utilized for industries that would have added materi- ally to our prosperity. The mill is now being con- structed by a firm who propose to manufacture rubber goods.

The grist and saw-mill was sold by Longley to Thomas Staples, a noted stage-driver of this section, who operated there but a short time, and sold to Whitcomb, Edgarton, Priest & Co. They leased the power at the grist and saw-mill to Henry P. Howe, who erected there a machine-shop and manufactured paper fire-dryers, employing about thirty hands. Mr. Howe's machine was considered as a great invention, until superseded by steam drying. Howe remained here about three years, going from here to Worcester. The first dam was built by Longley. This was rebuilt by Eli Page in 1840, and by the Chisholms a few years since.

About 1848 Levi Woods purchased the lot of land now bounded easterly by Union Street, northerly by West Main and southerly by Shirley Street and built a bulkhead, preparatory to erecting a mill on Waste Brook, but the mill was never constructed.

As before stated, the power on Nonaicoicus Brook was utilized at an early day. Until, however, it was purchased by the Woods Brothers, the right to flow the meadows extended only from September to April. The site was originally used for a saw-mill ; subse- quently a grist-mill was added. About fifty years ago it was known as Morse Mill. William W. Ed- garton at one time manufactured cotton batting here. But its career was somewhat erratic until purchased by Woods Brothers. It was then a small building standing on Shirley Street. In about 1863 a horse- shoe nail factory was built in connection with this mill. This enterprise did not, however, prove a suc- cess and was soon abandoned. About 1870 Phelps and Woods erected two large mills extending from Shir- ley to Main Streets. The mills soon after passed into the hands of Alfred Page. The northerly mill was destroyed by fire December 20, 1880, and the southerly half was consumed by the same element February 25, 1881. The present structure was erected soon after.

The Stevens Brothers (George and Josiah G.) had invented what was considered valuable improvements in turbine water-wheels and barrel and stave machin- ery, and in 1867 a corporation known as the Stevens Machine Company was formed here, the stock being principally taken by local capital. The company purchased of Harvey A. Woods the lot of land bounded by Worcester and Nashua Railroad, Groton and Park Streets, and the land of the Park heirs, and erected the brick building now a part of the Union Furniture Company shop. The company, however, never manufactured, legal objections and contro- versies arose and after a few years the establishment was leased to Washington Whitney, who manufac- tured chairs here for several years, but finally suc- cumbed to financial embarrassment. He was suc- ceeded by John Batchelder, who operated the estab- lishment a short time longer. It was finally closed as a chair factory in 1871, the machinery and balance of stock being removed by Phelps & Woods to their mill. It then remained unoccupied until 1877, when the establishment was leased to William Smith- field Moses, who manufactured chamber furniture there. It finally passed into the hands of Elijah B. Dolloff, by whom it was organized as the Union Fur- niture Company, which was formed with a capital of $20,000, and by this company it is operated at the present time.

PLOW SHOP .- I am indebted to Benjamin F. Taft for the complete record of this establishment, which I regret to say has passed into history. It was the first large manufacturing establishment of our town. It brought here the most of the first citizens, the men who shaped whatever destiny we were fortunate enough to receive. The idea which culminated in this factory was conceived by Benjamin Martin, who was born in the village called Quabbin, in the town of Sutton, where, as a young man, he engaged in the

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

manufacture of plow-handles for Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, of Worcester. These handles were made by hand, and after the Blanchards, of Warren, Mass., had invented a machine for turning irregular forins, they were able to manufacture plow-handles at a much lower price than Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin was thus compelled to give up the business in which he had been engaged, and purchasing of Nourse, of Worces- ter, and Mason, of Boston, a few plow patterns, he engaged in the manufacture of plows in Quabbin. He soon outgrew his facilities in that place and moved to Blackstone, Mass., where Mr. Farnum, a large woolen manufacturer, built for him a shop, and here Martin engaged in the general manufacture of agri- cultural implements. Here, as at Quabbin, the busi- ness outgrew the facilities, and looking about for a . place of settlement, he fixed upon Groton Junction as possessing the desirable facilities for his business. About that time he associated with Walter Lackey, of Northbridge. Isaac N. Stone, of Harvard, and the Fitchburg Railroad Company gave to them a deed of about ten acres of land, and they employed Morey Lapham, who designed and built their first shop, which was 200 feet by 70 feet and two stories high, with an enginc-house, boiler-house, and a forge-shop 100 feet by 50 feet. These buildings were a lasting monument to the good judgment and workmanship of Mr. Lapham, while they stood. This was in 1850.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 158

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