History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 165

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 165

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).

The Framingham and Lowell Railroad passes through the southern part of the town, having one station, called the Carlisle Station. The Nashua, Acton and Boston Railroad passes through the west- ern part of the township, having three stations- Graniteville, Westford and East Littleton.

Nearly all the present township of Westford was formerly a part of Chelmsford and continued thus till September 23, 1729, when a bill before the Gen- eral Court, " For erecting the West Preciuct of the town of Chelmsford into a Township by the name of Westford," was passed to the third reading and the char- ter was granted. The act was " passed to be enacted" sixteen years after the struggle for a separate exist- ense began. A small triangular part of the town- ship, having for its base Forge Pond and its northern apex resting on Millstone Hill, was set off from the town of Groton and annexed to Westford by an act of the "Conncil, read and concurred September 10, 1730," since which date the boundary has remained intact.

INDIANS .- Like all the other parts of the coun- try, Westford was the home of the Indian. The Paw- tuckets or Wamesits and the Nashobas hunted here, and on the banks of Forge Pond held their council-fires. "On the eastera margin two places are shown where the encampments or lodges were fixed, which are in- dicated by slight excavations and the finding of ar- row-heads." On the hill east of Eli Tower's there is a flat rock where, it is said, the "squaws kindled their fires and baked Indian cake in the best style of Indian cookery." Not only in the vicinity of Forge Pond, but at other places in the town, there are occa- sionally found, even now, stone implements and flints of their handiwork. The writer has seen their hatchets and other tools, and he has in his possession a large pestle, a chisel and several arrow-heads. Is it surprising that the heart of the red man is sad- dened, as he thinks that his beautiful hunting-grounds are in the possession of the pale-faces, that the young brave shall no longer woo the dusky maiden at some

trysting spot, that his defiant war-whoop shall no longer ring out on the yielding air and be echoed from hillside to hillside, that he shall no more wildly ride his pony in the chase, nor hunt the bear, nor challenge his foe to mortal combat? all the life his fathers loved shall be his no more. While we glory in the achievement of the heroic Puritan, let us not forget that the red man, though a savage, had a heart in his breast as well as the pale-face.

CEMETERIES .- We have not a Greenwood nor a Sleepy Hollow, in which lie the classical dead or the honored of the ages, yet we have places where we lay our loved ones, who sleep until the resurrection.

"It is a fact worthy to be mentioned, that the first burying-place in Westford was not near the meeting- house. It was the custom to lay out a lot around or very near the sanctuary. In Westford the oldest burial-ground is a mile east of the meeting-house, and is not, therefore, a church-yard. Indeed, the early settlers never used the word church to designate the house of worship or the place of burial. Inas- inuch as the eastern portion of the town was first set- tled, the spot was selected long before the precinct or town was formed. The oldest head-stone bears this inscription : "Abram Wright, died 1702.' But bur- ials may have taken place before this; and as the records of Chelmsford give no information about it, it is perhaps impossible to fix the time when the first grave was made there. There are two other cem- eteries in town."

POST-OFFICES .- There are five post-offices in town, one at each of the following places : Nashoba, West- ford, Cold Spring, Graniteville and Forge Village. The following list of postmasters of the Westford office is here given, with the date of their appoint- ment. It will be noticed that the date of establish- ment was March 29, 1803.

Postmasters .- John Abbot, appointed March 29, 1803; John W. P. Abbot, August 24, 1831 ; Samuel Fletcher, October 4, 1839; Sherman D. Fletcher, May 23, 1849; David C. Butterfield, June 10, 1853; Samuel Fletcher, March 3, 1856; John B. Fletcher, March 1, 1860; Sherman D. Fletcher, April 22, 1861 ; Francis L. Fletcher, September 24, 1866; John B. Fletcher, September 20, 1867; Sherman D. Fletcher, August 12, 1869 ; John M. Fletcher, Octo- ber 26, 1885; Sherman H. Fletcher, April 22, 1889.

Attention is called to the above list of names, on account of the fact that, out of thirteen appointments ten of the men were Fletchers.

FARM PRODUCTS .- The general products of agri- culture are such as are usually raised in New Eng- land, though more fruit is produced in Massachusetts than in the northern States and more in this town than in many others. Vegetables are raised for city markets by many farmers. Apples are grown in great abundance and in many varieties, from the many orchards throughout the town, early apples as well as the winter Baldwin; and during the bearing

694

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

year thousands of barrels are sometimes shipped to Europe. Occasionally they arc shipped by rail at Westford or Acton, but more commonly, carried by heavily-loaded teams to Boston. Several large vine- yards are in the town, and tons of grapes arc raised, making this one of the most important products of the soil. Of late years the peach crop has been abundant, the yield being large and the fruit the equal of any in New England, at least. It is generally con- ceded that the peaches, sometimes received in Boston from our town, are the largest and best flavored of any received there. Small fruits are also successfully raised, such as strawberries and blackberries ; thou- sands of crates of these are marketed every year. In short, Westford is widely noted for raising a large variety of as excellent fruit as is produced anywhere in New England.

Some idea of the healthfulness of the town can be obtained by considering the ages of some of our peo- ple now living, as well as of some recently deceased. There are now living probably twelve people who are over eighty years old ; two are ninety-one ; and one person, ninety-four. Mrs. Hildreth died in August, 1884, aged one hundred and one years and one day.

MILITARY HISTORY .- Little can be learned from the early records of the town in regard to the action taken during the French and Indian War. From other sources we find the Westford people were not wanting in this time of peril; but that the town gave her share of brave men for the defence of the Colonies.

One muster-roll of a company under the command of Jonas Prescott gives the names of sixteen men from Westford. This company started for the relief of Fort William Henry, but, hearing of its surrender, went only as far as Springfield.

The spirit of independence early manifested itself, and from the beginning of the Revolutionary struggle until its triumphant conclusion the people were ont- spoken in their indignation of the conduct of the British Parliament ; and showed their determination to withstand such oppression. They were alive and full of interest in the thought of the possible freedom from the bondage which the mother country was in- posing upon them. Their hearts were stirred to the depths when the news of the Stamp Act reached their ears, and they took immediate action to express their disapprobation. Soon they procured fire-arms and prepared for defence, as they saw the difficulties could be settled by no amicable means.

In March, 1774, Dr. Fletcher drew up a paper ex- pressing the sentiments of the people in the following forcible manner : "In faithfulness to our country, ourselves and posterity, we hold onrselves obligated, according to the ntmost of our abilitics, to make re- peated oppositions against repeated attempts to cx- tinguish the just rights and liberties of this people, or every attempt to annihilate onr frec dom, the price of which was no less than the price of blood, even the precious blood of our worthy ancestors."

When there came the call to arms ! the people of the town did not hesitate, but were among the first to leave their homes to enter the bloody conflict, which lasted long, but which, eventually, secured glorious liberty and equal rights to onr great " American Com- monwealth," now the most honored and beloved na- tion in the world.

On April 19, 1775, in Concord, on the North Bridge, the British troops were met and driven back by the brave and toil-worn yeomen of this new country, the character of whom is most ably pictured to our pres- ent generation in the stalwart arm and expressive features of the " minnte-man," now standing as a monument of this first decisive strike for liberty. Rev. Dr. Ripley, in his account of this struggle, says : "A company from Westford had just entered the bounds of Concord when the fight took place. But in- dividuals from that town were present and engaged in the battle, among whom was the brave Col. Robinson." He also says further on in his narrative : "The situa- tion of Major Buttrick, as it was more dangerons and important, has gained him distingnished celebrity and honor. But this ought never to operate as an eclipse upon any other officer on that occasion. There is satisfactory evidence that on the march to meet the enemy, Major Buttrick requested Col. Robinson to act as his superior, he being an older man and of higher rank in another regiment ; but he modestly declined, and consented to march at the right hand and be con- sidered a volunteer. The late Col. John Buttrick, then a fifer, repeatedly affirmed that he was present and heard the conversation between his father and Col. Robinson. . The Americans commenced . their march in double file. In a minute or two the Americans being, in quick motion and with- in ten or fifteen rods of the bridge, a single gun was fired by a British soldier, which marked its way, pass- ing under Col. Robinson's arm and slightly wounding the side of Lnther Blanchard, a fifer in the Acton company." Rev. Joseph Thaxter, then preaching at Westford, in connection with William Emerson, were the first chaplains of the Revolution. Mr. Thaxter afterwards went with a company of Westford soldiers to Lake George and Ticonderoga ; he offered prayer at the laying of the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill monnment.

In Colonel William Prescott's regiment of minute- men were twelve officers and fifty eight privates from the town of Westford-Timothy Underwood, captain. In the regiment commanded by James Prescott, Esq., there were nine officers and thirty-six privates-Oli- ver Bates, captain. In Captain Joseph Minot's com- pany, nnder Col. James Prescott, Esq., there were eleven officers and thirty-six privates.

" PERSONAL TESTIMONY.

"Mrs. Jonathan Prescott, a grand-daughter of Colonel Robinson, who died in this town, April 14, 1876, at the great age of ninety-one years, distinctiy remembered the colonel, being twenty years'old at the time of his death, in 1805. She testified to the compiler of this work

695

WESTFORD.

that when the alarm came on the night of the 18th of April, he stood not on the order of his going, but mounted his horse and hurried to Concord, leaving orders to his hired man to follow with provisions. She said, likewise, that he was invited to take the command, and the tradi- tion in her family has always been that he did assume it and ordered the troops to fire. Her recollection accorded with the inscription on bis gravestone which affirms that he commanded the soldiers at the Bridge." ("History of Westford," page 109.)

It is stated that Captain Oliver Bates died from the effects of a wound received as they were driving the British from Concord to Lexington. Col. Robinson's bravery was also shown in the battle of Bunker Hill. The death of a colored man from Westford is also re- corded in the returns from this battle.

The War of 1812 being unpopular in Massachu- sette, there was no very enthusiastic response to the call for troops ; there were, however, a few men from Westford engaged in this war.

When there came the call for men to protect our beloved nation when a dissolution of our United States was threatened, military enthusiasm revived. It was not a struggle for enlargement of power or for personal aggrandizement, but to preserve entire one Republic, and the free institutions that had been the pride of our countrymen ever since that memorable Independence Day, July 4, 1775, which brought to us our liberty and the right to a national govern nent.

It was to our Northern men a war that called forth every patriotic feeling. Rev. Mr. Hodgman says : "It involved the question whether might makes right; whether liberty is the birthright of every hu- man soul, however lowly ; whether the all-embracing air and the vivifying sun in the heavens are God's free gifts to all His creatures; whether every man, while submitting to the requirements of just law, has a right to himself, to the ownership of his own facul- ties of body and mind-the right, which is inalienable and untransferable, to liberty and the pursuit of hap- piness."

Although before the war there were two parties in the North, differing with each other in regard to the question whether it was best or right to force their Southern brethren to give up their slaves,-when it became a question of union or dissolution, there was nearly a unanimous response to the call to help pre- serve our Union. The large calls for men were met with such wonderful alacrity that other countries looked on with wonder at an army so easily raised without compulsion.

The result of the war shows that not only were our States still,united, but that all the above vexed ques- tions were settled, we trust, permanently so far as our own country is concerned; and henceforth all American-born children, whether black or white, shall have the rights of citizenship.

The first enlistment of men from Westford occurred immediately after the disgraceful shooting of the troops of the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment while passing through Baltimore. Our men were filled with indignation and were eager to help in the repression

of a rebellion that had caused their comrades to be shot down like brutes in cold blood. Twenty-one men from Westford were then enrolled and were in Company C, Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteers. Five of these men never returned to their homes, but gave their lives to their country.

This company, under their captain, L. G. King, were present at the raising of the flag-staff on the Common and took part in the exercises. This flag- staff was cut by Mr. Abijah Fletcher, from a tree near Cold Spring; the flag was bought of Col. William Beale for sixty dollars.

" May 18, 1861 .- Saturday forenoon. All things being ready, the flag-staff was raised by Samuel Fletcher, of Graniteville, aided by many citizens of the village and other parts of the town. At two o'clock the stars and stripes were run up, amid the cheers and hurrahs of a large collection of men, women and children from all parts of the town, who had assembled to witness the patriotic scene. The chairman of tho commit ee then called for a song, and ' The Flag of Our Union' was sung with a will. An appropriate and patriotic address was given hy the chairman, and then the assembly went into the hall under the First Parish Church. The chairman again called the meeting to order, and prayer was offered by Rev. Edwin R. Hodg man. Speeches were made by Revs. Leonard Luce, George M. Rice and Edwin R. Hodgmau ; also by Col. George F. Sawtelle, of Lowell, and Luther Prescott, Esq., of Forge Village, and after singing another patriotic song the assembly returned to the common, and, gathering around the flag-staff, with the flag flying aloft, pledged themselves anew to stand by their country and government through weal or woe in the struggle just commenced, and then separated, after giving twelve hearty and rousing cheers for the whole Union. J. W. P. ABBOT, Chn. Selectmen."

The patriotic feelings here expressed were after- wards carried out in actions. The town was prompt to act, liberal with her means, and her zeal and entliu- siasm did not flag during the entire contest. The record in regard to the number of men and the money expended is most honorable. The twenty-one men in Company C, Sixteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, were the first to enlist, and others soon followed. Our soldiers were in the thickest of the fight, were in the battle of Gettysburg, in the battle of the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania Court-House and at Petersburg.

The first man from Westford who died for his country was John L. Taylor. He died in the hos- pital at Baltimore, November 8, 1861. The first man from Westford killed in battle was William Dane, killed at Winchester, Virginia, May 25, 1862. The names of thirty-three more brave men, who died for their country, are inscribed on a marble tablet in the Town Hall, making thirty-five upon the Roll of Honor from Westford.

The " History of Massachusetts in the Civil War" speaks of the town of Westford in the following words : " It was not behind any town of its size and wealth in the Commonwealth in fulfilling every obligation de- manded of it by the State or nation during the entire period of the Rebellion. It furnished 172 men for the war, which was a surplus of fifteen men over and above all demands. Four were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money raised and expended by the town on account of soldiers' families and repaid by the State was $10,525." Two ladies weut from

696

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Westford and were employed as nurses in a hospital at Alexandria, Virginia,-Miss Emma D. Southwick and Miss Eliza M. Weeks. Miss Southwick was after- wards a teacher among the freedmen of South Car- olina, and during the Centennial Exhibition at Phil- adelphia was connected with the famous " Log Cabin." For a fuller account of Miss Southwick see biograph- ical sketch. Miss Sarah E. Keyes also went from Westford as a teacher to the freedmen in October, 1865. She encountered the opposition so common to all who first went to teach that benighted race, but continued to teach until her death at Kingston, North Carolina, June 5, 1866. The ladies of Westford did a noble work for the soldiers, in furnishing clothing, delicacies, etc., which were sent to the Sanitary Com- mission.

One of the finest military organizations in the State is the Spaulding Light Cavalry. It is the only unattached cavalry company in the Commonwealth, and when recently the State militia was reorganized, and some companies were disbanded, the Westford company was retained on account of its soldierly bearing, its efficiency in drill, its good financial condi- tion and the pride the men take in the organization. Though squads are stationed in other towns as well as in ours, and many men recruited from those places, yet, because the armory and headquarters are here, and also because Captain Fletcher has done so much to bring up the company to its high state of efficiency, it seems proper that its history should be connected with our town. On September 5, 1889, the company, officially known as Troop F, Cavalry, First Brigade, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its organization, in Nab- nasset Grove. Many men eminent in civil and mil- itary life were present, and from the " toasts " and re- plies, as well as the addresses given, it was clearly seen that the troop is a favorite in the military cir- cles of the Commonwealth, and has a high position in the State militia.

The troop held its first encampment at Westford in 1865. Colonel Joseph W. Gelray, United States Army, was detailed as the inspecting officer, and Dr. Samuel L. Dutton, now of Boston, who had just re- turned from the army, acted as medical officer at the request of the adjutant-general.

Among the men active in raising the troop was Deacon Otis Adams, of Chelmsford, who, in his younger days, lad commanded the Old Chelmsford Troopers. Although he had passed the age of seventy years, his martial enthusiasm was so great that he became an active member and served in the ranks at several encampments of the troop.

The troop has always maintained a high reputation for efficiency, is in splendid condition financially, and that harmony has prevailed in its midst is shown in the few changes in the roster of its officers, the fol- lowing being the names of all the past officers of the troop :

Cupt. Christopher Roby, Chelmsford; Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, Westford ; Lieut. Allen Cameron, Westford ; Lieut. A. M. Clement, Boston ; Lient B. F. Day, Westford; Lieut. James A. Davis, Dunstable; Lieut. N. B. Lapham, Chelmsford ; Lieut. W. L. Kittredge, Westford ; Lieut. E. C. Williams, Groton ; Asst. Surg. Levi lloward, M.D., Chelms. ford; Asst. Surg. Joseph B. Heald, M.D., Pepperell ; Arst. Surg. W. F. Leighton, M.D., Lowell.

The composition of the troop of to-day is as follows :

Capt. Horace W. Wilson, Carlisle ; First Lieut. Elisha H. Shaw, North Chelmsford ; Second Lieut. Amos R. Leighton, Westford ; Asst. Surg., First Lieut. Amasa Howard, M.D., Chelmsford ; Hospital Stew- ard Charles II. Bealls, Lowell ; First Sergt. Daniel H. Robbins, Carlisle ; Quartermaster Sergt. . John Feeney, Westford ; Sergt. George V. Her- rig, Pepperell ; Sergt. Charles J. Hall, Groton ; Sergt. William J. Quig- ley, North Chelmsford; Sergt Sidney A. Bull, Carlisle ; Corp. D. E. Weston, Pepperell ; Corp. E. H. Keyes, Westford ; Corp. H. V. Hil- dreth, Westford ; Corp. Charles F. Scribner, North Chelmsford; Guidon P. J. Hayes, Pepperell ; Bugler J. S. Gilchrist, Lunenburg ; Bugler E. S. Trudu, Ayer.

Captain Christopher Roby, the father and first com- mander of the troop, is a hale and hearty gentleman of seventy-five years. He was born in Dunstable, Mass., October 18, 1814.

Captain Sherman H. Fletcher was born in West- ford December 24, 1846, and was educated at West: ford Academy. He enlisted in Troop F, December 9, 1864; appointed corporal April 1, 1871; sergeant May 1, 1871; first sergeant August 9, 1873; commis- sioned second lieutenant May 27, 1874, and captain May 14, 1877. He resigned December 1, 1888, and retired from active service with a record of which any officer may be proud.

Captain Horace W. Wilson, the present commander of the troop, was born in Billerica, Mass., and resides in Carlisle.

The company has taken two State prizes for the best carbine-shooting, and Corporal E. H. Keyes, of the Westford squad, has taken the prize for the best individual shooting with the carbine in the State.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY .- In the year 1727 the inhabitants of the "West Precinct" of the town of Chelmsford, the part of the town now Westford, assembled to choose a minister of the Gospel; and at that meeting voted a certain amount of money as a salary, and appointed a committee of three to confer with the Reverend Willard Hall in regard to a settle- ment.

Mr. Hall accepted the call, and his answer shows that the human nature of the divines in that age was very like that of ministers now. There was a clause in the call, namely, " Voted that they agree with him that his Sallary shall rise and fall according to the vallue of money," which proved a bone of contention for many years. It was easier to diminish his salary when silver was high than to raise it when silver was low.

The reverend did not think that fair play, and in 1739 entered a complaint to that effect, which came before the town in form of a vote for and against rais- ing his salary. This vote was decided in the nega- tive, and Mr. Hall appealed to the courts of justice.

How it was settled is not recorded, but we conclude

697

WESTFORD.

peaceably, as Mr. Hall remained with his people as their pastor until aged and infirm.

During the Revolutionary period he was a Tory, feeling it his duty to be loyal to King George. This cansed much feeling among his people and he was not allowed to preach for a time, and it eventually led to his final dismissal from the church, but not until after he had given up active pastoral work and a colleague had been appointed. His ministry ex- tended over forty-eight years. MI. Hall had his avo- cation as well as his vocation : he was an excellent farmer and his garden was the admiration of many ; he also acted as a physician when such services were needed.

The church records state that Mr. Hall was or- dained and a church organized November 27, 1727, with the following members :

" Willard Hall, John Comings, William Fletcher, Joseph Underwood, Joshua Fletcher, Aquila Under- wood, Jonas Prescott, Jonathan Hildreth, Andrew Spalding, Jacob Wright, Samuel Chamberlin, Samuel Fletcher, Aaron Parker, John Proctor, Jonas Fletcher, Nathaniel Boynton, Benjamin his X mark Robbins, Josiah Whitney."-18.

We find no record of any female signers ; perhaps husband and wife were considered one in a very lit- eral sense; but what became of the maiden ladies ?

During Mr. Hall's ministry there seemed to be a "half-way covenant," granting certain privileges, such as the baptism of infants, but not giving them the right to partake of the communion at the Lord's table; reminding the writer of the associate members of our modern Christian Endeavor Societies, who have some of the privileges, but not the spirit of the active members.

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 165

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