History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 127

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 127

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At the second meeting, held on April 8th, the assessors were intrusted with the duty of arranging the highway districts, and they appear to have marked out thir- teen, a number not substantially varied from, but for a short period, through the entire history of the town, to the abrogation of the law relating to highway surveyors in 1889. A committee of seven were chosen to take into consideration the whole subject of school districts, schools, school-houses, and the divi- sion of the school money. The names of Elias Grout and William F. Ellis stand respectively first and second on this list. Their report made at the ad- journed meeting, with slight amendments, was adopted. No less than five town-meetings were held before the end of June. During those months about the whole work of the town seems to have been laid out, and particularly the subject of roads and school- houses was dealt with.

FURTHER ACTS OF THE TOWN .- At the annual meeting in 1847 the appropriations were $2000 for town expenses, $500 for highways, and $800 for schools, figures that were not much changed during the first years of the town. In 1850 the fire-engine called the "Magunko " was bought for $500. About the same time the town purchased of James Jackson his interest in the Chapel building.

In this year the question of building a town-hall began to be agitated in connection with necessary

school provisions for the Centre District. It was uot, however, until 1855, and after many plans had been proposed and votes passed, that the appropriation of $10,000 was finally made, and a committee actually set about the work of building. The Building Con- mittee were, Elias Grout, Audrew Allard, John A. Whitney, James Jackson and William Jennison. In December of that year this committee reported the building crected at a cost slightly less than the ap- · propriation. They appear to have charged the town twenty-five dollars each for services. At the same meeting the superintending School Committee were authorized to make necessary changes in the system of conducting the schools and to hire a grammar-school teacher. The graded system for the Centre District was introduced the next year.

In 1858 the old custom of letting out the paupers to the lowest bidder was still in force, though the overseers of the poor were allowed the alternative of hiring a farm npon which to place the town paupers. Late in the following year the Thomas Fiske farm was purchased for that purpose. Six years later the town sotd this place, and purchased of Elias Grout a more commodious farm in the easterly part of the town, which has since heen occupied as the home of most of the Ashland paupers. From the year 1861, through the war, the town furnished its several quotas of soldiers, responding promptly with men and money, when called upon. Some account of its work may be found elsewhere.

Up to the year 1871 the old "Magunko " had served to extinguish the few fires which had over- taken the town, " Capt." John A. Whitney standing high upon the engine and urging on the thirty labor- ing men who were working the brakes. But the days of hand-power were passing away. In that year the sum of $7500 was voted for a steam fire-engine, hose- carriage and house, and the next year hooks, ladders and a truck were added, the whole resulting in an excellent fire equipment, since appreciated on many occasions. The firemen at first paid $3.50, annually, and allowed their poll taxes, later received $6, and in 1878 $12.

About this time action was taken by the town in favor of the Hopkinton Railroad, with the proviso that its northerly terminus should be at the centre of the town. Within two years following $10,000 were invested in the capital stock of the road, an invest- ment which proved a loss to the town, as a subse- quent sale by the mortgagee divested the stockholders of all property in the road.

The purchasing of Wildwood Cemetery in 1869, and the establishment of the Public Library in 1880, will be spoken of in subsequent paragraphs.

For some account of the laying out of roads, and provisions made by the town for schools, reference may be had to the subsequent portions of this narra- tive, which treat of those subjects.

Public provision was first made for lighting the

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streets in 1881, an appropriation of $300 being then made for that purpose. Many individuals had before erected lamp-posts, and the town now furnished lamps and service. At a later date the town also set many of the posts, and the streets in the village were fairly well lighted with kerosene oil lamps. At the close of 1889 an electric light company from South Framingham was admitted to do business, and at the beginning of the following year had erected two arc and about forty incandescent lights.

At the close of the war the town's indebtedness was $30,000. The building of the school-house on Main Street, the subscriptions to the Hopkinton Rail- road, the purchase of the land and preparing the grounds of Wildwood Cemetery, and the provision of a steam fire-engine, were extraordinary expenses in- curred since the war, carrying up the indebtedness in 1872 to $53,000. Annually an appropriation has been made to reduce the debt, varying from $4000 to $1500. In 1882 the town debt was $25,000 and consisted principally of notes not soon to mature. To have in readiness the means of paying these obligations at maturity, a sinking fund was established and three commissioners were appointed. The sinking fund, by vote of the town, is to be discharged in 1890. At the beginning of 1889 the town debt had been re- duced to about $10,000.

TOWN OFFICERS .- When the voters of the town of Ashland first assembled in the Chapel Hall for the transaction of business, the work to be done was not new to them. They had learned the method of pro- cedure by attending similar meetings in the towns from which they had come. A full proportion of those who gathered had been accustomed to take an active part in such meetings, and had held offices in the parent towns. This will account for the direct- ness with which they proceeded to lay out within the first few months the whole work of organization. The first town officers elected were therefore not a random or an experimental selection, but they were men who had been tried and found equal to similar work before. Thus was carly established a rule which has been fol- lowed since, to elect to office those men who have proved themselves qualified. The burden of doing the town work has been assigned to substantially a cer- tain few persons, who year after year have been chosen to the offices, sometimes upon one board, sometimes upon another, but almost always their names appear- ing somewhere in the list. Those men who have served as selectmen have often at other times been chosen assessors or overseers of the poor. Not un- frequently a new man will be elected as a third as- sessor or overseer, but it will always be found that at least one of the board has held some important office before and has demonstrated his fitness to be trusted. It has been the policy of the town usually to re-elect the town clerk in recognition of the fact that his knowledge of the doings of the town ac- quired in past service is valuable, and may be used

in assisting other officers. For about the same reasons the treasurer is not often changed; experience has taught him how best to manage the town's finances. Upon the board of school committee it has been the custom to elect one or more of the clergymen, if there are such in town who are noted for scholarship, and have remained sufficiently long to form an acquaint- ance with the people. Politics have invariably been ruled out of meetings held for the election of town officers. The man supposed to be best fitted for_ the office-according to the judgment generally prevailing, has as a rule been elected. The assessors, school committee, treasurer and tax collector have always been paid for services, the allowances, however, at first being small. The town's first treasurer, who retired at the end of 1865, never charged above thirty dollars annually, and for most of the time he was serving, only ten dollars. The treasurer for 1866 charged $100, setting an example which has been followed by all the succeeding treasurers. The school committee for many years were paid only one dollar per day, the assessors two dollars. The members of these boards now get two and one-half dollars. The selectmen made no charge for services for many years, nor did the overseers of the poor. More re- cently the work of the different boards has increased, and their pay has been advanced in proportion. The trustees of the library, the trustees of Wildwood Cemetery, the commissioners of the sinking fund and the park commissioners seem to be the only boards whose members now receive no pay for ser- vices. The matter of pay is never a just criterion by which to judge of services which have been rendered, as many of the town's agents have spent time and money freely, with no expectation of a recompense, and without even receiving afterwards any public acknowledgment of their valuable services. The writer is happy to record that the town has once in its whole history, departed from its usual custom of unappre- ciative silence. When their first treasurer, after long and obliging services, retired from the office, the town, at their meeting of March 5, 1866 (so say the records), did " extend a vote of thanks to Benjamin Homer for his acceptable services as treasurer the past twenty years." The real agents of the town who have done the work are only partly represented in the lists of town officers, and of these there is allowed only space for two lists. The selectmen since the organization of the town are as follows, viz. :

1846-Calvin Sheperd, Jr., Josiah Burnham, Dexter Rockwood, An- drew Allard, Albert Ellis.

1847-William Jennison, Penuel Clark, Dexter Rockwood, Elias Grout, William Eames.

1848-William F. Ellis, Josiah Cloyes, John Works.

1849-52-Elias Grout, Willard R. Eames, William Eames, 1853-Simeon N. Cutler, Willard R. Eames, William Kames. 1834-Elias Grout, James Jackson, William C. Jennison. 1855-William Eames, J. E. Forbush, Charles Twitchell. 1836-57-William Eames, Benjamin Homer, Henry Cutler. 1858-Elias Grout, Henry Cutler, John Clark.

1859-Elias Grout, Williaui Eamnes, Benjamin Homer. 1860-01-Elias Grout, W. A. Scott, J. N. Pike.

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1862-J. N. Pike, Henry Cutler, Charles Alden. 1863-64-J. N. Pike, Charles Alden, John Clark. 1865-J. N. Pike, Charles Alden, Alvah Metcalf. 1866-J. N. Pike, Alvah Metcalf, Benjamin Homer. 1867-J. N. Pike, Alvah Metcalf, C. H. Tilton. 1868-W. F. Ellis, W. R. Eames, B. T. Thompson. 1869-W. F. Ellie, Elias Grout, W. A. F. Noyes. 1870-Johu Clark, B. T. Thompson, J. II. Dadmun. 1871-John Clark, Henry Cutler, J. H. Dadmuo. 1872-John Clark, Alvah Metcalf, S. A. Cole. 1873-Charles Alden, S. A. Cole, R. N. Ross. 1874-76-Charles Alden, Abner Greenwood, J. A. Whitney. 1877-78-Abuer Greenwood, R. N. Ross, S. S. Baker.

1879-80-A. Greenwood, S. S. Baker, J. A. Balcom.

1881-R. N. Ross, C. H. Tilton, A. Metcalf.

1882-83-C. H. Tilton, R. N. Ross, C. F. Grout. 1884-85 -- Adrian Foote, J. A. Balcom, B. Il. Hartehorne. 1886-A. W. Eamee (2d), J. A. Balcom, G. C. Fiske. 1887-A. W. Eames (2d), W. F. Ellis, G. C. Fiske. 1888-Adrian Foote, C. H. Tilton, J. A. Balcool. 1889 -- Adrian Foote, J. A. Balcom, W. W. Smith. 1890-A. Foote, J. A. Balcom, C. E. Loring.

Only one Senator has gone from Ashland, J. N. Pike, in 1872. Since 1856 Ashland has been united with Hopkinton in its representative district. For the years 1856 and 1857 the town passed votes not to send a representative. The following representatives from Ashland served in the years below specified :

1851-52, James Jackson ; 1853, Elias Grout ; 1854, Simeon N. Cutler; 1855, William M. Thayer; 1859, William F. Ellis; 1862, Benjamin Homer ; 1865, John Clark ; 1868, William Seaver ; 1871, J. N. Pike; 1874, Charles Aldea; 1877, Wm. F. Ellis; 1880, S. F. Thayer ; 1883, Caleb Holbrook ; 1886, F. N. Oxley ; 1889, Abaer Greenwood.

WAYS .- The public ways as they existed at the incorporation of the town were nearly all retained, while others have been added. By consulting a map of Ashland, it will be observed that the roads formerly extended through the town in three systems. Thus there were roads crossing from Holliston, Hopkinton and the southerly part of Southboro', and all centering in Framingham. The Hopkinton road lay through the village of Unionville, and the traveler could take his choice of ways, by the old road through Cherry Street, past what is now the Dwight Printing Com- pany's grist-mill over the " Common," or by the more level way through Union and Fountain Streets aud Park's Corner. The road from Holliston led past the old burying. ground, William Eames', the Poor Farm and Park's Corner, with a diversion by the Joseph Morse place to South Framingham. The inhabitants of the southern part of Southborough and further west went by the "Oregon " road, traversing the northerly part of the town. All the inhabitants dwelling north of the river, as far west as "Chattanooga," and those south of the river living east of the paper-mill and north of W. D. Cole's, depended upon Framingham for school privileges, and went to Framingham Centre to trade, to vote and to attend church, excepting that for a time a Baptist church might have been reached at Park's Corner. The people of Unionville journeyed to Hopkinton to church and town-meeting, while the inhabitants on the east side of Cold Spring Brook north to the Framingham line toiled slowly over the hills to Holliston for the like privileges. At the

incorporation of the town a new centre oftrade, church influence and municipal business was created, which it became necessary to connect with the outlying districts by passable roads. Ways were also required to render the schools accessible to the inhabitants of the new districts. For these purposes new roads were built, the principal of which are as follows : from F. O. Grout's house through the woods over the old disused Central Turnpike to the junction with Foun- tain Street ; from the "Oregon " District southerly to its junction with Winter Street, opening a road to Fayville; from Cordaville, through what is now " Chattanooga," to Winter Street, Sonthborough building its portion ; from William Eames' place sontherly to the Warren Morse place, avoiding the hill and the distance round " the old red school-honse " in the woods; Cross Street in District No. 3, to give the inhabitants living on High Street access to their school ; Concord Street from Fiske's to Front Street. At a few points roads have been altered, straightened or discontinued, notably near the Albert Hayden place, by which the road over "the Common " to Framingham was shortened and improved, and near Josiah Burnham's house, the old road having been abandoned and a new one built for convenience of the neighborhood in reaching both their school and the village. At a somewhat later date Main Street was continued from Union Street toward Holliston, in a straight line to its junction with Prospect Street, thus avoiding the necessity of the detour past the cemetery ; and quite recently a way was built from the house of William Eames, past District No. 6 school-house, by which a difficult hill on the old road has been avoided. Most of the early roads were laid out by the county commissioners, and met with more or less opposition from the town.

In the village there have been changes in the roads since the town was set off. Pleasant Street was very early built by the town, Mr. Jackson giving the land, and was a substitution for a discontinued road, which clung to the south shore of the Mill Pond. All the buildings upon Pleasant Street to Alvah Metcalf's house, and all on the avenues leading sonth from this street to the railroad, have heen erected since the or- ganization of the town.

The land for Central Street was given by the own- ers, Benjamin Homer and the heirs of Capt. John Stone, and the street was constructed by the town about 1850. At the opening of the new cemetery Homer Avenue was laid out, affording a direct way thereto. The old road from the railroad crossing to Elias Grout's house was formerly broken at Union Street, the northerly part leading into that street at a point slightly nearer the new house of Mr. Holbrook than at present, and the southerly 'part hugging the bank of the river from Union Street to Cold Spring bridge. The northerly part of Alden Street, as far south as Central, was opened to the public by Charles Alden, in honor of whom it was named, in 1868, for

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the purpose of making his land accessible to building. The part south of Union Street was laid open about the same time by Albert Leland, the owner of the land in that neighborhood. The connecting portion between Union and Central streets was seized and laid out by the town several years later, in the face of some opposition. Esty Street was opened by C. C. Esty, the owner of most of the land through which it was constructed, in 1868, and was afterwards accept- ed by the town.

BUILDINGS .- Substantially all the buildings now standing upon the streets so far mentioned have been erected since the incorporation of the town, and nearly all between the years 1868 and 1873. On the other hand, the houses as they now appear, with a few exceptions, were at that time standing on Main Street, from Union to its northern terminus, and on Front Street from the Jennings house west to Mrs. Jerusha Whittemore's. On Union and Cherry streets very few of the houses are older than the town; on Concord and Granite streets all are new. None of the buildings in town are very old. One who came to town in 1818 says that there were then in sight on the whole plain, from a point of view at the factory, besides the " Long Block " and the " Boarding-House," only the houses of Michael Homer and Capt. Stone at the east, the "Old Mansion " at the south, and that of Matthew Metcalf away at the west. Across the river at the north, part way up the hill, was the Clark house.

As to the business buildings, when they were erected, for what purposes, and who occupied them, can be gathered from the account to be given later of the industries of the town.

LANDMARKS .- In the changes that have taken place, many landmarks have been removed. It is only about twenty years ago that the dwelling- house was burned which was situated on the spot built upon by Sir John Frankland, near the Itop- kinton line, and which contained as parcel of itself portions of the original Frankland house. In the easterly part of the town the old house for many years occupied by J. E. Morse, said to have been built by James Haven two hundred and sixty years ago, has recently been burned. The " Old Mission " house occupied by Roger Dench over one hundred and fifty years ago, and which stood upon the premises of Mrs. Eliza A. Howe, but a few feet southwesterly from her house, was burned in 1877. The long quadrangular house formerly occupied by Capt. John Stone, located on the north side of Union Street, about where the house occupied by Curnyn now stands, was taken down about 1850. A little to the southwest, on the new school grounds, may still be seen the cellar-hole of the barn used in con- nection with this house. The house occupied by Benjamin Homer in 1846, and which had descended to him from his grandfather through his father, was moved about 1870 to its present location on the east side of Homer Avenue.

BURIAL-GROUNDS .- In 1846 there were three burial-grounds within the limits of the town. In the woods at the extreme south, almost at the Holliston line, on the old disused road leading from William Eamcs' honse, over the hill, there is a spot of land which has been used for a burial-ground until quite recently by the inhabitants of that neighborhood. In the days when the travel from Framingham to Hol- liston passed, this locality was not so lonely and desolate as now. What is probably the oldest burial- ground in town is the half-acre of land on Union Street, near the Newhall boot-shop. Here are a tomb and grave-stones, marking the graves of some of the early settlers. Since the town was set off this yard has become the property of the town, and has been walled in and otherwise improved. Until 1869 the principal burial-ground was the two acres lying in the rear ot the Congregational Church. Originally at this point there was a small grave-yard owned by the Union- ville Evangelical Society. Later the town of Hop- kinton became the owner of the lot, and added suffi- cient land to increase the yard to its present size. Within a year or two Hopkinton has released what in- terest, if any, it had remaining to the town of Ashland, so that the last named town now owns the fee in the land. The yard seems to be for the most part filled with graves, yet the holders of the lots continue to bury their dead within its limits.

WILDWOOD CEMETERY .- In 1869 the town pur- chased of Charles Alden twenty-three acres of land, situated half a mile east of the village, on the north- east side of Homer Avenue, and lying on the southeast bank of the river. The ground rises from the river in an irregular and pleasing manner, to an ele- vation of about seventy-five feet in the extreme rear, the surface everywhere presenting a full view of the village which lies below. When first taken, most of the land was covered with a growth of oak and chestnut-trees, which have since been partly cleared away in those portions which have been graded and wrought for use. Only a small part of the whole tract has yet been oeeupied, but this section has been carefully laid out in paths and lots, the natural contour of the surface readily lending itself to the designs of the landscape artist. A con- siderable sum of money was at first expended in im- proving the grounds, and sufficient portions of the sur- face were then wrought to meet burial requirements to the present time. Many families have purchased lots upon which they have erected monuments. Burials have begun upon the high grounds and by the river side. The grounds are well-kept, the town employing a gardener who devotes his time to the work. A small stream of excellent water runs through the grounds along the southwest part, at the foot of the hills, which is used for drinking and also for watering the hill-slopes, the water being forced np by machines. Wildwood Cemetery is the name given to this beau- tiful burial-ground. Eight years ago the town

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bought an additional acre of land at the entrance of the grounds, and removed therefrom the old buildings, so that now the inhabitants of Ashland have secured for all time a worthy place for the burial of their dead. The original committee appointed by the town to prepare the grounds, making a cemetery out of the forest, appear to have done their work well. Their names are Warren Whitney, Henry Cutler, Willard R. Eames, Charles Alden and Alvah Metcalf. The cemetery is now under the government of a board of five trustees chosen by the town, one of whom is chosen annually to serve for a term of five years.

SCHOOLS .- The town of Ashland adopted the method of conducting schools which had prevailed in Framingham. There was no division into territorial districts, each having a corporate standing, owning and holding its school property, as was the case in many country places, but the town bought the land and erected the school-houses. At the same time there was a quasi-district arrangement, the methods of the district system being in part followed. There were chosen at the annual town-meeting two com- mittees, called respectively the school committee and the prudential school committee. The former had a legal standing, but the latter existed by custom and by acquiescence on the part ot all concerned. Under this system the prudential committeeman had charge of the school-house in his district, provided fuel and hired the teachers. A meeting was usually held in each district at least once a year, at which the pru- dential committee for the ensuing year was nominated and the question determined, by bidding or otherwise, as to who should provide the fuel for the next year and the price to be paid for it. The nominee of the district was invariably elected at the succeeding town- meeting. The school committee proper, usually called the superintending school committee, iu distinction from the prudential committee, consisted of three persons chosen for their fitness for the office. They were taken from the class of liberal, or at least well- educated men ; often they were old teachers. The duty of the school committee was to examine the candidates for teachers, to visit the schools, to have a general superintendence over them, including the text-books, and to make an annual report, in writing, to the town upon their condition. In this way the schools were conducted many years in an acceptable manner, especially to the inhabitants of the outside districts.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 127

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278