History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 74

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 74

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CENTRAL VILLAGE ACADEMY .- This institution, popularly known as Dracut Academy, was incorpor- ated March 1, 1833. The Academy building stood on the spot now occupied by the Varnum (Grammar) School. It was first occupied for school purposes in 1836, Isaac Withnell, A.M., principal. Joseph Brad- ley was president of the corporation, and the late Jefferson Bancroft, secretary. The first catalogue (one of which is now in possession of Mrs. Paul Hill, of Billerica,) contains the names of ninety-one pupils. The school was quite prosperous for a number of years, and chere are still living both teachers and scholars who remember the old Dracut Academy with much pleasure.

Other teachers besides Mr. Withnell, during the existence of the Academy, were Benjamin F. Butler, Rev. Mr. Cutler, Rev. Cyrus Mann, Wm. G. Russell, Rev. John C. Ingalls, Henry F. Durant and Charles Morrill.

Among those who were pupils at different times, we may mention the names of Wm. P. Brazer, Wm. W. Wiggin, the late Jonathan Ladd, Edward Harts- horn, Joseph B. Varnum, Mary B. Varnum, Caroline R. Varnum (Mrs. Alpheus R. Brown), Lauretta Coburn (Mrs. Fisher A. Hildreth), Mrs. Paul Hill, Phineas and Edward Richardson, Joseph B. V. Coburn and George W. Coburn.

Of the teachers, B. F. Butler, Wm. G. Russell and Henry F. Durant became lawyers of more than a local reputation in their profession. Mr. Morrill was superintendent of schools in Lowell for a number of years.

We append the following advertisement which ap- peared in one of the Lowell papers in 1842 :

" DRACUT CENTRAL VILLAGE ACADEMY.

T HE Sommer Term of this Institution will commence on WEDNESDAY the 6th of July next.

"The location of this School is snrpassed by few, if any in New Eng- land. There is connected with it a large and convenient boarding- bouse, a workshop, a small track of land and a Cap-shop for the Ladies, that individuals both male and female, may, in part at least, defray their expenses if they choose-but all depends upon their own industry and economy almost.

" Board for males is two dollars per week, including a reasonable amount of washing, and a room for two persons, well furnished. Wliole- some regulations are strictly adhered to in the boarding-house, and those that make application for hoard, are requested to give evidence of sustaining a good moral character.

" The price of Board for Females is $1.50 per week, and they do their own washing and ironing, and take care of their rooms principally,

" Every effort will be made to render the Institution useful to all who avail themselves of the privileges of the school.

" Mr. Russell, the present teacher, who has done himself much honor for the three last terms, as a very efficient teacher, is about to leave, to engage in his professional studies, and the services of John C. Ingalls, now in Connecticut, are secured for the future ; and we doubt not be will be equally successful with his predecessor, in giving entire satisfac- tion, for Mr. Ingalls is a man of rare qualifications as a teacher. Be- sides being a gentleman of finished literary acquirements, he has a well- earned reputation in this department, and wherever he has been em- ployed has given uncommon satisfaction to parents and guardians who have entrusted their children to his care and instruction.

"In behalf of the Institution.

"Dracut, June 2, 1842."

"N. THURSTON.

The old Academy building now stands on Bridge Street, Centralville, and is used by Wood, Sherwood & Co. for the manufacture of wire goods. I am in- debted to Mr. C. C. Chase, for many years head-mas- ter of the Lowell High School, for valuable facts concerning this Academy.

WRESTLING BY DRACUT MEN .- In 1813 Captain Phineas Whiting and Major Josiah Fletcher erected a wooden factory for the manufacture of cotton in Chelmsford on the present site of the Middlesex Company's mills, now in Lowell. This was the first mill built in this vicinity.

After the raising there was a wrestling match, and Micah Coburn, of Dracut, held the ring for a long time. He was one of the most powerful men that the world ever produced, and a scientific wrestler, and no man of ordinary strength could cope with him for a moment. "After a considerable time"-in the lan- guage of one who was present-" they got in Bill Tunk, a man of great physical strength and size, and so stout that he would load barrels of cider by putting them over the sides of an ox-wagon. There was great sport in this match. It looked like a contest between two monstrous lions. It was a good while before either could make any impression upon the other; at last they both fell in such a way that it was called a ' draw,' and that ended the game."

The real name of "Bill Tunk," as he was called, was William Varnum. There were several of the same name, and to distinguish him from the others he received this name because when he was convers- ing with people he had a habit of giving them a thrust with his hand, or, as they expressed it, giving them a " tunk."

Half a century ago Dracut was somewhat celebrated for its men of physical strength and litheness, some of whom were very expert in wrestling. So was Chelms- ford, and other towns in this vicinity. Whether it was because their boys were raised so largely on lamprey eels that were taken so plentifully from the Merri- mack I never knew. I have been informed that a

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challenge was sent to Dracut from Methuen many years ago to meet them on the line between the two towns for a wrestling match. It was accepted, and the best men of both towns met on the day appointed. The struggle was entered into heartily on both sides, aud the result for a while was doubtful, but Dracut was finally victorious. To use the expression of my informant (who is still living), " Dracut threw Methuen over the line." If that was so, it was proba- bly a friendly triumph which required a mighty effort, for Methuen boasted of powerful men not to be tossed about with impunity.

At " ordinations and ' Four-days meetings,'" which everybody attended, a little wrestling, when nothing else was going on, was not considered inappropriate. At an ordination in Dracut some forty years ago, one of the old residents challenged a person present to wrestle with him, and told him he would throw him in a minute or pay for the flip, whereupon they took hold and no sooner was the word "ready " given the challenger was thrown, but he sprang up and clenched his opponent again and threw him, and it was all done inside a minute, so that the challenger was not re- quired to "pay the flip" although he had been thrown in the contest.

An old resident now seventy-seven years of age says, " When the first mill was built on Beaver Brook, at what is now called the 'Navy Yard,' by Sewell Stanley & Brothers, I remember very well that as soon as the. plates were up, I saw Joseph Butterfield Varnum standing on them preparing to pin them on to the frame and put up the rafters. This was about the year 1813. After the building was raised there was a grand trial of skill in wrestling, which lasted till midnight."

Wrestling is of great antiquity. It was one of the Olympic games among the ancient Greeks, and Charles the Duke's wrestler in Shakespeare, says :

"To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit, and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well."

The game is now fortunately out of date. No good ever came of it, while broken bones, sleeveless shirts and unkind feelings were frequently the result, but it is perfectly natural that a man who has the strength of a Hercules should take some pleasure in display- ing it.

HUSKING BEES .- It was a custom among our fore- fathers in the early settlement of this country, to ac- complish some of the important work to be done by making a party or " Bee " and inviting all the friends and neighbors to assist.

This was a very social and expeditious way of per- forming labor which would be inconvenient and dif- ficult for a few individuals ; besides, it was an agreea- ble and pleasant occasion for all who participated in it.

Among the most memorable of these gatherings was the husking party, and it is but a few years since

they were of common occurrence in most of the agri- cultural towns of New England, and I believe they are still continued, to some extent, in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Although the prime object of the person who made the party was to accomplish a task, yet it was not always done with a single eye to economy. The prep- arations made to give those who attended a sumptu- ous and hospitable reception were frequently some- what expensive, and the sports entered into by the guests made it of so agreeable a nature that old and young, rich and poor attended. Not unfrequently both sexes were invited, and nobody refused to at- tend, however inefficient they might be about their own business. I never knew but one man who was too lazy to attend and do his proper share of work, and was reasonably prompt.

He was a wealthy man, but morose, selfish and un- comfortable, and would a little rather injure a neigh- bor than help him. He was sure to be there in time for supper, however, and seldom arrived much before that time.

Before extending his invitation, the farmer usually gathered his corn and placed it so that all hands could stand around it to work. The barn floorings were full, and the large doors opened wide, and fre- quently great heaps of corn were placed outside. Sometimes the corn was placed in two separate piles, and divided as nearly as possible. Then two of the smartest young men would be chosen captains, and they would " choose up sides " for a trial of skill in husking. After each side was arranged the captain would "snap up" for choice of heaps, when both parties would fall to work to see which would beat. Every man did his "level best." The corn came pouring forth as if by magic, and the air was filled with husks as if a tornado had struck the heaps. This was not a favorite way, however, as the work was apt to be slighted, because each party was so anxious to gain the victory.

An old farmer says: "When the work was done in this way the pig corn was not properly sorted out, there was too much silk left in the corn for the rats and too many nubbins of corn thrown back in the husks."

Huskings sometimes took place in the afternoon, but usually in the evening. About dusk, after milk- ing and the chores were all done up, men and boys, old ladies and young, from all parts of the neighbor- hood, might be seen with basket and lantern in hand wending their way to the scene of operations. The boys and dogs led the van (every man of means kept a dog, and poor folks kept several, the same as now).

The young folks, full of anticipations of fun ahead, could hardly restrain their feet to the measured and steady tread of the older ones, and would have flown if possible ; but as it was, they were generally the first on the spot, and glad when the time came to strip out the corn. Not that there was so much pleasure in

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husking, but the fact that the sport was on the other side of the heap, and not until the last ear of corn was in the bin could it be enjoyed, for " Business first, and pleasure afterwards" was the motto of olden times. When the young ladies attended, the party arranged themselves with due respect to the rules of sociability, and I have frequently been told that if any gentleman found a red ear of corn he was entitled (according to the laws made and provided for the regulation of husking parties) to kiss the lady who stood next to him, and I have also been informed that if the kissing was agreeable and was reciprocated, the lucky fellow would frequently hide the red ear of corn in the pile again, so that he might avail himself of the privileges it conferred several times during the husking,-a deception, it is true, but a sin (if it was a sin at all) one that most of us are inclined to wink at and some to even justify.

No one seemed to blame him at the time, except- ing, perhaps, some sensitive damsel, whose partner could find no red ears of corn, or the chap next to him, who was only aggravated by the transaction.

During the husking a song or two was sometimes sung by some of the company, and flip and sweet cider passed around to wash the dust down. After the corn was disposed of, all hands repaired from labor to re- freshments. A repast was furnished, varying some- what in character, according to the pecuniary circum- stances of the household, but baked beans, roast beef, roast turkey, a fat goose, with plenty of potatoes, onions, brown-bread with gravy, boiled cider, and ap- ple-sauce, formed the forefront of the line, while bat- talions of pumpkin-pies, with savory puddings and various kinds of fruit, composed the reserve. A lit- tle skirmishing with the. mug of flip, not so much to stimulate the stomach as to comply with the custom of the times, and a gentle brush with the sweet cider, and the whole force came squarely down to baked beans and business. Nelson, the renowned English admiral, at the great naval battle near Cape Trafalgar, before the fight began, gave the famous signal-" England expects every man to do his duty ;" but the host had no occasion to quote from military heroes for the encouragement of his guests. The vilest sinner would never be guilty of preferring charges for neglect of duty if he ever witnessed the proceedings. Faithfully and cheer- fully they stood like Leonidas and his three hun- dred Spartan heroes at Thermopylæ, determined to do their duty if they died at their post. I believe, however, they were never known to die at their post, for they were strong and robust, with digestive organs fully corresponding to their appetites and courage.

Supper being ended, the sports began,-

" And from the parlor of the inn

A pleasant murmur smote the ear,

Like water rushing through a wier ; Oft interrupted by the din

Of laughter and of loud applause, And in each intervening pause The music of the violin."

* * %

" Before the blazing fire of wood Erect the rapt musician stood, And ever and anon he bent His head upon the instrument, And seemed to listen till he caught

Confessions of its secret thought- The joy, the triumph, the lament, The exultation and the pain ; He soothed the throbbings of its heart, And lulled it into peace again."

The immediate descendants of the old Puritan stock would sometimes indulge in "a little gay and worldly amusement," and it is said that when they attempted to dance they took the steps scientifically, and the style was essentially different from that of the present time. .

The host and hostess generally led off with a con- tra-dance, frequently " Fisher's Hornpipe," a standard piece and as familiar in those times as Yankee Doodle on the Fourth of July, and bean porridge for supper.

Any one who has a grandparent can ascertain all these facts and get a better impression of the good old times than I can possibly give.

I have frequently heard descriptions from those who bad participated in them, and I always arrive at the same conclusion, although "Times ain't now as they used to was then," that for rational comforts and amusements our grandfathers and grandmothers were not a whit behind ourselves.

The husking party frequently closed with the intro- duction of plays and games, such as " Blind man's buff," "On the road to Boston," "Marching to Que- bec," "The needle's eye," "We have as many wives as the stars in the skies," and many others, some of which are perhaps familiar to the young folks now, and in many of which kissing was the prominent and interesting feature of the game.

The first husking party that I remember of attend- ing took place in the afternoon, and was attended by some twenty or thirty girls and boys, twelve or four- teen years of age.

The corn was laid out on the grass near the barn, and when it was husked, which took until about night, we were all invited to refreshments, not on the grass, but in the house, where Mrs. Blood had her blue " sprig china teaset" all spread out in the most elegant manner and an abundance of good things provided to tempt our appetites. We submitted grace- fully to the temptation and did justice to the supper, every one of us, whatever degree of approbation we were entitled to for our husking exploits.

After the table was cleared away the long kitchen was ours for all purposes of legitimate fun and frolic. The furniture was old-fashioned and immensely strong. That was fortunate.

It was a jolly time, such as many of us had never experienced before. When we closed up to go home

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

we pronounced (mentally) our benediction upon the whole world and resolved in our licarts that the young man who made the husking party was the liero of the town. Most of us went home with the determination to make hcrocs of ourselves in the same manner, but for various reasons our good resolu- tions all resulted in nothing. The most formid- able obstacles to our plans were incorrigible Pa's and unaccommodating Ma's, who took desponding views of our brilliant opportunity and did not fully appre- ciate the turn of our ambition.

DECREASE OF TERRITORY .- In 1851 that part of Lowell called Centralville was taken from Dracut by authority of an act of the Legislature, passed Feb- ruary 27th, and approved by the Governor the next day. Again, in 1874, by an act which took effect Aug. 1st, a tract of territory, containing about one thousand acres, was annexed to Lowell from Dracut. Another tract from the westerly part of Dracut, ad- joining Tyngsborough, was annexed to Lowell April 1,1879.

NAVY YARD .- We are informed that the locality in the vicinity of the Merrimack Woolen-Mills, in Dracut, acquired the name of "Navy Yard " from this fact: Many years ago a great amount of ship timber was rafted and floated down Merrimack River to Newbury from the various towns in this vicinity. Beaver Brook being a convenient place in which to arrange the timber into rafts, it was cut and drawn upon sleds in winter-time and left near the brook, just below where the mills now stand. All the va- cant land in the vicinity (of which there were some acres on both sides of the brook), was thus covered over with oak timber, to be used in building ships. The person from whom this information is derived says: "So much ship timber gave the place the ap- pearance of a navy yard." Hence the name.

NEW BOSTON .- The locality in Dracut known as " New Boston " is said to have received its name in the following manner : One of the old residents who settled there married his wife from New Boston in New Hampshire. His neighbor, who settled east of him, on a hill, gave to this place the name of New Boston.

MARSH HILL .- The gentleman who had pitched his tent upon the hill married a lady of the name of Marsh, and to get even with him, the New Boston man called the hill "Marsh Hill." Both names be- came popular, and are retained unto this day.

BLACK NORTH .- The locality known as " Black North," in the northeasterly part of the town, took its name, it is said, from the name of a negro of the name of North, who was exceedingly dark-complex- ioned.

CHAPTER XXVI.

DRACUT-(Continued).

WAR OF THE REBELLION - MANUFACTURES- BIOGRAPHICAL.

To give any adequate idea of the causes which brought about the great War of the Rebellion, or of the important events which took place during the progress of some four years of the most gigantic and determined war which has ever been recorded in his- tory, would require more space than is intended in the condensed histories of the various towns de- scribed in this volume. For an account of those causes and events in detail, therefore, the reader not already familiar with them will turn to the many elaborate and reliable works already published.

It is sufficient to say here, that during the progress of this great war the town of Dracut, like other towns in the Commonwealth, was thoroughly loyal to the Federal Government, and took up promptly and cheerfully its proper share of the burdens incident to the protracted contest.

Dracut furnished, during the war, two hundred and eighteen men,1 a part of whose names are given here. There is no full list, or any list, of the soldiers furnished by each town during the war, in the Adju- tant-General's office of Massachusetts. The only way to ascertain the number of men from any town is to look through the list of every regiment that was or- ganized during the war.

Sixth Regiment (9 months) .- Wm. T. Wilson, corporal, Co. K ; Alhert 0. Davidson, corporal, Co. K ; Dennis Crehan, John Crehan, Byron Griswold, Joseph Hallowell, Thomas Lyons, John Reall, Peter K. Staples, John Wehb, James Welch, Co. K.

Seventh Battery Light Artillery (3 years) .- George H. Coburn, James Schofield, sergeants ; Hawly B. Chase, Albert N. Cohurn, James Cox, corporals ; James Birmingham, Albert E. Chase, Dennis Doyle, Darins S. Fuller, Francis E. Woolstenholem, Franklin S. Norris, privates.

Fifteenth Battery Light Artillery (3 years) .- Ward Clough, Russell Cochrane, Charles C. Colton (accredited to Malden, December 4, 1863), Dumlar Revolpillar.

First Regiment Heavy Artillery .- James C. Marshall, Co. G, August 16, 1861.

Second Regiment Heavy Artillery .- Lorenzo Richardson, Co. M ; George B. Butterfield, Co. B, July 28, 1863 ; Alonzo L. Melvin, Co. M ; Gardner M. Dean, Co. B, September 24, 1864 ; E. D. Richardson, Co. M ; Thomas White, Co. B ; Frank Cohurn, Co. M ; Charles B. Vincent, Co. D ; Dan- iel Smithson, Co. M ; Arthur Hamblet, Co. E; Patrick Donague, Co. K ; James Lee, Co. E ; Eugene D. Park, Co. E; John Carney, Co. H (died at Newbern, N. C., July 6, 1865) ; Philip Ulrick.

Sixth Regiment Infantry (3 months) .- Coffron Nutting, musician ; George H. Coburn, Co. C; Edmund Coburn, Co. D; Martiu Davis, Co. D ; Wm. B. Goss, Co. D ; Charles M. Butler, Co. D; Addison G. Coburn, Co. D. '

Forty-second Regiment Infantry .- Peter W. Ford, Co. D.

Sixth Regiment (9 months) .- Thomas Church, Co. A ; Orrin G. Cohurn, Co. A ; Wm. H. Snow, Co. A; Prescott L. Jones, Co. C; Howard Co. hurn, Co. D, corporal ; John M. Davis, Co. D ; Joel M. Thurstou, Co. D ; James M. Whitney, Co. D; Jonathan S. Davis, sergeant ; Shapleigh Morgan, 2d lieutenant.

Asa Howe, Fourth Regiment Heavy Artillery.

Edward Phipps, Second Regiment Cavalry

1 Drake's "Hist. Co. Middlesex."

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Newton C. Smith, Thir: Regiment Cavalry. William F. Todd, Fonr h Regiment Cavalry, Co. I. Nathaniel P. Ford, corporal, Fifth Regiment Cavalry, Co. M. William H. Smith, Second Regiment Infantry, Co. B. William Bock, Thirteenth Regiment Infantry. John White, Thirteenth Regiment Infantry, Co. H. Thomas Smith, First Regiment Infantry. Daniel Donohoe.

Thomas Davis, Sixteenth Infantry, Co. G. Frank M. Basse.t, sergeant, Co. G, Sixteenth Infantry. Gordon M. Dern, Co. D. Sixteenth Infantry. Charles E. Sir th, Co. D, Sixteenth Infantry, (see 2d Regt. Heavy Art.) Charles R. Vacent, Co. G, Sixteenth Infantry, (see 2d Regt. Heavy Art.) John McDuncan, Co. F, Nineteenth Infantry. William Graniger, Co. F. Nineteenth Infantry. James 'oyd, Co. F, Nineteenth Infantry. Calvin Harris, Co. H, Twenty-first Infantry. Augustus M. Jones, Co. H, Twenty-first Infantry. Charles Crandall, Thirty-first Regiment, Co. C. Herbert M. Hall, Thirty-second Regiment, Co. G. Horace A. Barrows, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A. John Varnum, corporal, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A. Oliver Davis, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A.

Francis F. Lunt, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A. George F. Richardson, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A.

Monroe Richardson, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A. Lafayette Wilson, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A. John Hirwin, Thirty-third Regiment, Co. A. Charles Lovering, Sixty-first Regiment, Co. B. George Cumber, Veteran Reserve Corps.

Edward Bliss, Twenty-fourth Regiment Infantry, Co. K. Martin L. Bassett, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. A. Roscavious Brown, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. A. Edward Buttus, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co.[A. Edward Bohan, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. D. Ira Bowers, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. D. Horace Buttus, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. D. Charles Coburn, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. D. Osgood Davis, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. D. George M. Kimball, Twenty-sixth Regiment Infantry, Co. D. Owen Brannon, Twenty-eighth Regiment, Co. A.

John McNab, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. B.

Benjamin F. Ansart, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. C. Freeman H. Butler, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. C. Brooks Butterfield, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. C.

Lnther H. Marshall, sergeant, Co. C, Thirtieth Regiment. Henry E. Richardson, sergeant, Co. C, Thirtieth Regiment.

Charles D. Richardson, quartermaster-sergeant.

Benjamin F. Hamblet, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. C. Henry A. Wood, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. C. George Boyle, Thirtieth Regiment, Co. B. A. C. Varonm, major and paymaster, U. S. A. Atis E. Ausart, Sixteenth Massachusetta, Co. I. Orford R. Blood, commissary-sergeant, Sixth Massachusetts.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 74

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