History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 159

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 159

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

After about four years' struggle against the heavy debts contracted in the construction of their shop, the general depression of business, and the refusal of the assistance which Mr. Martin had been promised when induced to leave Blackstone and locate here, they suspended, and the property was purchased by Mr. H. O. Bean.

Personally, Mr. Martin was a very large man, weighing from 250 to 300, pounds; always kind, obliging and seldom without a smile and a kind word for every one. He and his family were members of the Baptist Church.

He was a very rapid penman, and his ability in that direction was only equaled by the utter illegibility of his correspondence when completed. A story is told that he wrote to a firm in South Carolina, who sub- sequently became large customers of his, soliciting their trade. In due course of mail, his letter was re- turned with the statement that, judging from the printed heading of Mr. Martin's letter, they had no doubt but what they would be able to make arrange- ments with him for selling his goods, but they were compelled to depend entirely upon the printed head- ing, as the letter itself was to them entirely unintel- ligible.

Bean ran the factory until the latter part of 1855, and made money, but sold to Nourse, Mason & Con- pany. This firm, who manufactured plows princi- pally under the patents of Jocl Nourse, who was the pioneer in the manufacture of cast-iron plows, failed, and in 1864 the property was sold to Oliver Aincs

and son, who formed a corporation known as the Amncs Plow Company, by whom the business was conducted until the removal of the works to Worces- ter, where it is now being conducted. Nourse, Mason & Company enlarged the plant by the erection of a store-house, which was burned in 1871, and what was subsequently known as the foundry, a building be- tween the original shop of Thayer & Lackey and the pond. As its name indicated, this building was con- structed to be used as a foundry, and was so used for several years, but this department did not prove financially successful, and the foundry business was, after a few years of trial, abandoned. The building was subsequently occupied by A. H. Caryl, of Groton, during 1859 and 1860, who here manufactured caloric engines under Erickson's patents.

In 1874 and 1875, to the great loss of our town, the company resolved to move their plant to Worcester, and consolidate it with their shop then in operation at that place. The first superintendent of the Ames Plow Company was Aaron Howe, who was succeeded by Benjamin F. Taft, who remained in charge until 1867, and was succeeded by Joel Garfield.

The business conducted by the company here was very extensive, a larger part of their manufactured goods being exported to foreign countries, princi- pally to Africa. The goods they manufactured were of a superior order, and the workmen engaged in the factories were good citizens and skilled mechanics.

In 1863, while under Mr. Taft's management, the company constructed for the Government the twenty- three buildings known as Camp Stevens. These were built ready for occupancy in twelve days from receiv- ing the order from the government for their construc- tion -- a feat which reflected to the credit of the man- agement and resources of the company. From the time that the works were moved to Worcester until the latter part of 1885 this extensive plant remained idle ; at the latter date it was hired by the William A. Beader Glue Company, who equipped it with ma- chinery and apparatus for the manufacture of bone glue. The factory, however, did not prove a me- chanical success and the business proved a decided nuisance to the citizens of the village.

But there came a lamentable conclusion on the night of Dec. 2, 1886, when the entire plant, with the exception of two buildings, was destroyed by fire. The property has recently been purchased by Levi W. Phelps, and from him we have reason to believe that it has a future before it, both of advantage to the purchaser and to the town.

TANNERY .- March 26, 1854, Stephen Dow, of Wo- burn, purchased of Winthrop E. Faulkner about eight and one-half acres of land bounded southerly by Nonaicoicus Brook, easterly by land of Silas Nut- ting, westerly by the land of the Worcester & Nashua Railroad Company, and erected thereupon a small two-story tannery building at the westerly end of what is now the yard, and with Nathan W. Frye en-

669

AYER.

gaged in business under the style of Dow & Frye. For the first two years the firm did tanning only. At the end of that time Charles N. Lund became a part- ner, and the second floor of the building was occu- pied as a currying and finishing shop. About a year later the new currying shop, 110 feet by 40, with an ell 30 by 40 feet, three stories high, was erected just north of the original building. About 1859 Stephen Dow sold his interest in the business and property to John B. Alley, who has been identified with the busi- ness ever since. Mr. Frye conveyed his interest in the business to his partners in the fall of 1863. April 20, 1867, the currying shop, with the principal part of its contents, and the westerly end of the yard build- ing, was destroyed by fire. It was immediately re- built, and in 1882 its capacity and size nearly doubled. A few years ago Mr. Lund sold his interest in the business to Griffin Place. It is the oldest and best established industry in our town, employing at the present time upwards of one hundred men. Its career has been so uniformly upward and prosperous that there is little that can be written about it.

The foundry business was first conducted in this town by Mr. Nichols, of the firm of Cole & Nichols, of Lowell, in the building now occupied by Doherty Brothers, on the easterly side of Tannery Street. The business not proving successful, operations were suspended in a few years, and the building remained unoccupied until it was purchased by David Henius, who conveyed it to W. R. Hanks, April 3, 1867. Mr. Hanks operated the business for a short time ou a small scale, the property being conveyed to Calvin D. Reed in the latter part of 1869. In the fall of 1870 the firm of Briggs & Kelley took possession, and operated it as partners until their death. While owned by Briggs & Kelley the capacity of the plant was more than doubled. Doherty Brothers pur- chased the property and business of Mr. Kelley in 1867, just before his decease, and in their hands it has been put upon a paying basis, that it never before occupied, and it is now one of the best established as well as best paying industries of our town.

One of our best factories is that of the Ayer Furniture Co., who occupy the northerly half of Phelps' Mill. It is a corporation, the stock being principally owned by the workmen, who are nearly all skilled cabinet-mak- ers. Most of their goods are from their own designs. They make a specialty of chamber furniture, but do considerable general store and office furniture work.

PRINTING OFFICES AND NEWSPAPERS .- In the year 1842 George Henry Brown moved to Groton Centre from East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and opened a printing office in the building occupied on the first floor by Walter Shattuck, grocery store, and for awhile was associated in business with Mr. Shat- tuck. In the fall of 1853 MIr. Brown removed his printing office to the Junction, and occupied the room in the northeast corner of the second floor of what is now Cushing's Block. A short time after-

wards he moved his establishment to Bartlett's Build- ing, at the south end of Merchant's Row. While in Groton Mr. Brown began, in June, 1851, the publica- tion of a monthly paper known as the Groton Mer- cury. After coming to the Junction the name was changed to the Railroad Mercury, and subsequently to Brown's Railroad Mercury, the first publication of that paper in this village being number 9, volume 3, and is dated June 2, 1854. The last number of this publication appeared on June 27, 1857. During the Fremont campaign, in 1856, Mr. Brown published three numbers of a campaign paper entitled, Give 'em Jessie. General Fremont's wife's name was Jessie, aud the name of the paper and the expression of its title, which, by the way, is not an uncommon exple- tive at the present day, took its name from the first Republican candidate's wife. From September 15, 1859, to September 26, 1861, Mr. Brown published here the Railroad Mercury, a weekly journal. It is to be regretted that it gave so little space to local events. Its columns were generally filled with clip- pings and reading matter of the magazine order. Its editorials, however were spicy, fearless and patriotic. Published, as it was, during the stormy and trying scenes of 1860 and 1861, its voice was always on the side of the Uniou and supported the good cause. Its advertising columns were exceedingly interesting, giving us, as they did, a picture of the business of the village as then carried on.

April 6, 1867, was issued the first number of The Mid- dlesex Worker, a weekly paper, 34 by 24 inches. It was edited by Lewis H. Hildreth, whose editorial rooms were in the northwest corner of the second floor of Cushing's Block. Like its predecessor, it de- voted but little space to items of local interest, the columns being filled with general reading matter. The paper was printed by Stone & Hewes, in Lowell, and not proving a financial success it was disposed of to its printers, and by them merged into the Lowell Journal, which publication was seut to the subscribers for the last half of the subscription year.

On May 13, 1869, John Henry Turner, son-in-law and successor, in the printing business, to Mr. Brown, began the publication of the Public Spirit. It was but 11 by 16 inches in size, and contained 12 columns of reading and advertising matter. It was at first published for free distribution. After the fifth num- ber it was called the Weekly Public Spirit, and its size was increased to 13} by 20 inches, with 16 columns. With the first number of volume 3 the size was in- creased to 19 by 27 inches, with 20 columns, and it was called Groton Public Spirit, Volume 6 saw its size again increased, this time to 24 columns, with the title, Turner's Public Spirit, which it still bears. With volume 11 it became a 28 column paper, and has lately been enlarged to 32 columns. On August 23, 1884, Mr. Turner began to issue a series of papers, bearing the names of different towns in the north- western part of Middlesex and the eastern part of

670

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Worcester Counties, made up of the same inatter as his Public Spirit, but with different headings. Mr. Turner's paper has rapidly increased in circulation.

The publication of the Public Spirit began in a room in the rear on the first floor of Union Hall Building. In July, 1871, Mr. Turner purchased of Baker his present building, which at that time was standing on what is now the vacant lot between the Hildreth Block and the American House Building, on Merchant's Row. In April, 1878, the building was moved on to its present lot, on Main Street. With the exception of two interruptions by fire, Mr. Turner's paper has appeared regularly since its birth.

In 1879 William M. Sargent began the publication of The Ayer Sentinel. He at that time occupied the second floor of Prescott's Building, then standing in Railroad Square, just west of the brick freight-house. This paper was published about three years. In 1880 Mr. Sargent removed his printing office to Fitchburg, and from that time until its publication was discon- tinued The Ayer Sentinel was printed in that place. Mr. Sargent subsequently purchased the book-bindery business of W. B. Lewis, of this town, and is now en- gaged in an extensive business here.

In 1885 we were honored, if honor it be, by the presence of another editor's sanctum, this time the Junction Journal, published by Clough & Shepard, whose office was at first on the third floor of Spauld- ing's Block, subsequently in Stone's Block. The life of this journal, however, was brief, and it expired before reaching its first birthday.

Several publications of local papers have given us the credit of issuing a special edition of their publi- cations bcaring our name, the most prominent of which is the Ayer Express, published by Pratt Brothers, of Marlborough. It is still in existence and devotes considerable space to the discussion of Ayer local events.

CHAPTER LV.

AYER-(Continued).

Religious Societies-Baptist-Unitarian-Catholic-Congregationalist- Methodist.

THE first organized religious meetings in South Groton of which we have any knowledge were those of the Advents, who, under the leadership of a some- what erratic character, held semi-occasional meetings in the little brick school-house on Main Street. At the outset they gave promise of great as well as dis- astrous things in the future, among which was to be the publication of a periodical devoted to the ad- vocacy of that particular creed. Several numbers of this paper were printed at Brattleboro', Vt., and distributed from this village. The successes of the

organization did not materialize. Its last meetings were hield about 1850. There were several attempted revivals since that time. In the summer of 1871 a tent was pitched on the circus grounds on Main Street, where preaching was had for two weeks. In the fall of the same year there was occasional preach- ing in Jenkins and Wright's Hall, on West Street.

Of the existing religious societies, the Baptists are entitled to the credit of being the first to organize. Until recently it has been the general belief that the South Groton Christian , Union, subsequently the Unitarian Society, was the pioneer in that field.

September 13, 1863, Rev. George H. Allen, then pastor of the Baptist Church, in an address before the Wachusett Baptist Association in South Gardner, gave a historical sketch of his church, that is so com- plete that I have here made liberal abstracts from it.

The following is the preface to the church records :

"South Groton, June 10, 1851. God, in his Providence, having opened a door for Baptist preaching in South Groton, the meetings have beeu well attended, a good degree of interest manifested and the pros- pect of future usfulness under the divine blessing, encouraging : the brethren and sisters desiring to see the standard of the cross perma- nently erected, met at the house of brother Andrew Gardner, on Tues- day, June 10th, to take into consideration the forming of a church in this place."

The church was organized the following week on the historic 17th of June, by the joint ac- ceptance of statements of doctrine in harmony with Baptist views, and a covenant, and was publicly rec- ognized July 2d by an ecclesiastical council con- sisting of delegates from the Baptist Churches in Groton, Harvard and Littleton. The following is a list of the constituent members : John Pingry, Eunice Pingry, Andrew Gardner, Eliza Gardner, Oliver Pierce, Elizabeth Pierce, Joseph Barden, Anna Ames, L. Felch, Sarah T. Nutting, Andrew W. Felch, Mary A. Pingry, David A. Smith, Eliza A. Pingry, Mercy Blaney.

At first they met at such places as afforded them an open door. As we have seen, they organized in the house of Andrew B. Gardner, which at that time was at the corner of Main and Newton Streets, where the Unitarian Church edifice now stands. Subse- quently they worshiped in the railroad depot, and with the permission of the town of Groton, they, for a short time, occupied the brick school-house. Later, Deacon Jolin Pingry moved from Littleton the build- ing which formed the nucleus of the present Union House. The second floor was finished into a hall, and here the society worshiped for a considerable time. The present church edifice, which was built by Morey Lapham, was dedicated iu the spring of 1856. In the spring of 1878 an addition was made to the build- ing to provide suitable rooms for social meetings. The meeting-house was dedicated during the pastorate of Rev. J. M. Chick, who was instrumental in securing a part of the funds therefor. Deacon John Piugry contributed largely, the lot of land upon which the building was erected being his gift. The bell was

671

AYER.

pnt in the belfry in the summer of 1872. The first clerk was David A. Smith.

The following have been deacous iu the church since its organization : John Pingry, David A. Smith, Samuel A. Childs, Walter Wright and Robert N. Kendall, the two latter being now in office. Before the formation of the church Rev. Amasa Sanderson, then pastor of the Baptist Church in Groton, preached here quite regularly.

The first pastor, Rev. Jonathan Guild, was called January 13, 1852, and was ordained on the 29th of the following September, and resigned May 15th of the next year. Shortly after, Rev. G. D. Crocker began his labors, and, although no formal call appears on the records of the church, he did the work of a pastor for about a year. He was succeeded by Rev. J. M. Chick who accepted a call October 1, 1854, entering at once upon his labors and continuing them uutil June 7, 1857. At the time the church was dedicated it had an indebtedness of about $1900, which was secured by a mortgage on the property. After about a year Rev. George B. Gow, from Newton Theological Semi- nary, accepted a call and was ordained September 28, 1858. His pastorate terminated in July, 1861. In March, 1862, Rev. Frank Rogers Morse assumed the pastorate and was ordained on the 6th day of July following, and June 20th of the following year he re- signed. For an interim of about nine months between this and the succeeding pastorate, Rev. James B. Donovan and Rev. Eleazer Robbins offici- ated. In January, 1865, Rev. C. A. Skinner became pastor, with the understanding that he would also become agent for the liquidation of their indebted- ness. This seems to have been accomplished shortly, as under the date of June 27th, following, a vote of thanks to Mr. Skinner is recorded as having been passed on account of this service. On the last day of this year (1865) a call was extended to Rev. W. P. Upham, who began his labors and served until June 27, 1867. Then after a lapse of more than a year. Rev. E. H. Page began his labors. He came August 16, 1868, and his resignation is dated May 12, 1870, October 31, 1870, Rev. J. S. Harradon became the pastor and officiated until May 1, 1873. Reverend George H. Allen was the next pastor. His service was the longest in the history of the church, as he officiated until the fall of 1885. During his service he was one of our most prominent and respected citi- zens. Since Mr. Allen, Rev. Enoch Sweet and S. P. Everett, the present incumbent, have been pastors.

UNITARIAN SOCIETY .- February 1, 1885, Rev. Lyman Clark, then pastor of the First Unitarian Parish of this town, delivered before the society a historical discourse so complete in its details and cor- rect in its narrative of events that I have here depended largely upon it for the following sketch of this society.

September 28, 1853, a circular sheet was issued in behalf of an association formed to erect a chapel for

worship, and from this circular we learn that Rev. J. Cooper had issued a call for a meeting " for the pur- pose of taking into cousideration the subject of build- ing a meeting-house or chapel, and attending to other business mentioned in the call." Articles of associa- tion were adopted, the preamble to which declares that " This meeting, being desirous of promoting the glory of God and the spiritual interest of our fellow- men, we deem it expedient to erect a meeting-house at South Groton, to be known by the name of the South Groton Chapel, for which purpose this meeting has been called together, and the following resolutions or Articles had been prepared, and are now submitted for its consideration." After the adoption of the preamble and articles of building association, Nathan- iel Stone, Calvin Fletcher, Robert Woods, David Chambers and Walter Lackey were chosen a com- inittee to procure a site; Rev. J. Cooper, Calvin Fletcher, Robert Woods, David Chambers and Ebe- nezer Willis were chosen a building committee ; Ben- jamin Felch was chosen collector and Calvin Fletcher treasurer.

Rev. J. Cooper came to this village as a Methodist, but sought and obtained recognition as a Trinitarian Congregationalist. His labors came to an early close. But the movement in favor of a chapel went . forward, and it was finished in the spring of 1855. A church organization was effected on the 12th of the following August, by the adoption of the covenant of the "South Groton Christian Union," which was written by Rev. David Fosdick, who preached here after the departure of Mr. Cooper. The chapel built, church society organized, a formal dedication of the house of worship took place on the 5th of September, 1855. This chapel, which was known as the White Church, stood upon the easterly half of what is now the town-house lot. For a more particular descrip- tion of its appearance, reference is hereby had to the fires. Mr. Fosdick was chosen pastor of the Union Society on August 27, 1855, and his ministry con- tinued until July 1, 1860. He was succeeded by Rev. William A. Start, a graduate of Tufts College, in the class of 1862, who took charge of this society March 1, 1861, and was ordained and installed on September 4, 1862. Mr. Start resigned April 30, 1863. Rev. Mr. Whitney officiated for a timc. He was followed by Rev. Josiah K. Waite, who was installed on May 24, 1865. In the year 1867, owing to a refusal of the church to settle a colleague, Mr. Waite resigned. The fourth pastor was Rev. Crawford Nightingale, who was born at Providence, R. I., November 3, 1816, be- ing a son of Samuel Nightingale and Elizabeth Kin- nicutt Nightingale, née Tompson. He attended a pri- vate school at Providence, entered Brown University September, 1830, graduating in 1834; prepared for the ministry at Cambridge, 1835-38. He was ordained at Providence, November, 1838. He subsequently served in the ministry at Charlemont, Heath, Shel- burne and Greenfield, Mass., followed by service as

672

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

minister-at-large at Lowell, and pastoratcs at Chico- pce and Athol. Mr. Nightingale was invited to the pastorate by a vote of the society, October 12, 1867, and was installed April 8, 1868, and it was during his pastorate that the church edifice was destroyed in the great fire of March, 1872.

A meeting of the society was called Saturday even- ing, March 2, 1872. The chief item of business appears to have been,-"to take into consideration repairing, remodeling and enlarging the church, the building of a vestry room and any other rooms that may be thought desirable for the benefit and conve- nience of the society." The meeting adjourned until April 13th. A committee was then chosen to consider and report upon the necessary repairs. The commit- tee apparently not ready to report, further adjourn- ment was ordered for two weeks. Before the light of another morning the building, with forty others in the village, were in ashes. With liberal courtesy, the Or- thodox Congregational Society offered the use of their church. Supt. C. L. Hey wood, in behalf of the Fitch- burg Railroad Company, offered the use of the restau- rant, where an informal meeting was held Saturday evening after the fire. Thanks of the society for cour- tesy received were duly expressed, and a committee chosen to solicit aid in building a new church. That committee consisted of Rev. Crawford Nightingale, Robert P. Woods, Abel Prescott, Pembroke S. Rich, Abel L. Lawton and Henry A. Woods. The offer for the use of the refreshment-room for religious pur- poses was accepted, and one service maintained ; this, apparently, being the beginning of one preaching service on Sunday instead of two. A committee on location and plan of building, consisting of Rev. Craw- ford Nightingale, Levi W. Phelps and Abel L. Lawton, was chosen. This meeting being informal, a second one was called in due form to ratify the action taken, the notice being posted up on an oak tree, which re- mained upon the lot near where the church stood, and upon the door of the refreshmeut-room at the station where the society worshiped. Subsequently the so- ciety worshiped in a hall in the new building of Harvey A. Woods, on Main Street, on site of Filiebrown building. In due time the stately and beautiful church edifice, designed by Mesers. Earle & Fuller, of Worcester, architects, and built by Messrs. Henry C. Sherwin and Charles F. William- son, was erected on land purchased of Mary A. W. Champney and George H. Champney. The vestry was first occupied for worship, the auditorium being without pews or organ, which were provided later, largely through the efficient labors of John E. Hos- mer. The church was dedicated September 1, 1875.

Mr. Nightingale tendered his resignation, to take effect April 1, 1878, having served as minister of the society for ten years. His pastorate, the longest of this society, was a tribute to his ability and courteous disposition which wou a large measure of friendship, which is still felt by people of the parish and town,

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 159

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