History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 132

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 132

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Charles Ilomer, one of the children of Michael Homer, learning his carpenter's trade in Fram- ingham, commenced business here in partnership

with Studley, reference to which has already been made. He soon went away, later engaging in government work. For one of these contracts with the government he claimed that a large sum of money was due him, which could never be obtained. He finally returned to Ashland to spend his last days, and died in 1888.

Edward and Charles Knowlton were doing carpen- ter work before and after the establishment of the town. Charles Knowlton superintended the rebuilding of Shepard's paper-mill after the fire in 1842. Alonzo Perkins was at one time associated as a partner with Charles Knowlton. He was among the early soldiers in the Civil War.

Eleazer Whittaker was mostly engaged in doing carpenter repairs at the cotton factory. He was said to be very "ingenious," could " make and attach a mosquito's bill."

Willard Stiles was following his trade as carpenter in 1846. He built many of the older houses. His son, Gilbert Stiles, succeeded to the business.

Abijah Adams and George H. Adams, his son, came from Rutland about 1855 and built a house and shop on Main Street, where now the daughter of the former and the son and widow of the latter reside.

E. L. Sherman, whose native place is Westborongh and who is still working at his trade as a carpenter, came to town in 1844.

Warren Wright, who began carpentering with George HI. Adams, his nephew, formerly drove stage from Hayden Row through Hopkinton Centre to Ashland. J. F. Porter is known beyond the limits of the town as a builder, and is now erecting the school-house on Central Street. Charles H. Bigelow, son of James Bigelow, whose early home was the W. D. Cole place, was noted before he had become par- tially disabled, for the excellence of his work. It is said that Bigelow would work half a day with George 11. Adams, as partner upon a job, without speaking, these two silent men fully comprehending each other.

BLACKSMITHS .- In former times blacksmiths' shops were located without much reference to villages, just where their owners happened to reside. In 1846, Daniel Lamb had for many years pursued this trade in a shop on the Sherborn Road at the limit of the town. Lamb kept working at that spot till disabled by old age. The shop remains, but has been turned to other uses. Just above the Shepard, or, as it is called in the older histories, the Howe dam, on the river bank, Alexander Clark, with his sons, Newell and Alexander, kept a blacksmith-shop. The busi- ness at this place was discontinued about 1840. Newell Clark was in the Greenwood shop for a short time about 1840. In 1841 he occupied a black - smith-shop for a year or two, which stood where Greenwood's old office now is on the south side of Front Street. This building was afterwards moved off and changed into a dwelling-house. Clark went to South Framingham and opened business.

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William Greenwood's blacksmith-shop stood on the west side of Cherry Street, at a spot a little to the south of the present residence of A. T. Jones. This seems to have been the principal shop in this region in pre-Ashland times.

About 1843 Addison Fisher came from Medway and opened a blacksmith-shop on Front Street at a point about where Blake's building now stands. Capt. Moses Claflin followed Fisher in the business.

In 1847 Abner Greenwood, quitting the old location of his father, William, on Cherry Street, commenced work in this shop. In 1850 he built his shop on Con- cord Street, and soon after the two dwelling-honses next to the south. In 1853 he formed a partnership with Harvey Piper, who had before worked for him, which continued till 1856, when Piper bought the business. Iu 1859 Piper moved into the basement of Taggart's new wheelwright shop across the street, and Greenwood resumed blacksmithing alone in his shop. Here be continued till 1868, making money, when Gibbs took the business, selling out to Whitcomb. George Boutilier occupied this shop twelve years, beginning in 1878. In 1882 Greenwood erected the fine brick building standing at the corner of Front and Concord Streets.

Herbert H. Piper, upon the failure of his father's health, succeeded him in business and remained two years in the Taggart basement. He then leased a spot of land on the east side of Concord Street, and building a shop, has since carried on his trade there.

PAINTERS .- Henry J. Dadmun, who was born in the northern part of what is now the town of Ashi- land, in 1808, early learned the house-painter's trade, and followed it in this town and vicinity throughout bis life, which closed in 1879. About 1850 John W. Spooner came from New Bedford and engaged in the same business. Later these men formed a partnership under the name of Dadmun & Spooner. For many years they worked together; then separating, they shared between them nearly the whole business of the town. Both built houses and paint-shops. Dadmun, after dissolving the firm connection with Spooner, took his son James into partnership, and later C. F. Grout. James died two years before his father. The business was closed at the latter's death. Dadmun and Spooner were both men of marked individuality. Spooner, being active in the prosecution of temperance work, was threatened with injury, and the firing of his build- ing more than ouce seemed to him proof that injury was actually intended. C. H. Spooner and G. T. Jones, once employees of Spooner, now have a monopoly of the house-painting work in Ashland.

O. A. Wilcox in 1870 erected a building on the west side of Concord Street, close to the canal, in which to do ornamental and carriage-painting. After following his trade for a series of years, he sold his building and business to R. A. Taggart. Since that time some half a dozen different persons have occupied this building, each for a short time only.

WHEELWRIGHT .- With the exception of Ham- mond, who for a short time occupied one of the Brewster carpenter-shops, R. A. Taggart is the only one who has made an exclusive business of doing wheelwright work in the village. He built and occu- pies a shop on the west side of Concord Street.

COAL DEALERS .- At first George W. Jones did all the coal business, two or three car-loads a year sup- plying his customers. In 1867 Ezra Morse succeeded to Jones' coal business, and two years later added a stock of lumber. He erected sheds and continned in the business about ten years,

In 1866 J. N. Pike and C. H. Tilton erected a coal- . shed between Front Street and the railroad, and en- gaged in the business, Pike soon selling to bis part- ner. In 1869 Abner Greenwood bought the shed and commenced a business which he bas carried on to the present time. He deals in anthracite coal exclusively, handling one thousand tons annually. He also sells hay, lime and cement.

C. H. Tilton in 1873 again returned to the coal trade, building sheds along the railroad near his boot factory. In 1885, when he closed his boot manu- facturing, he transferred the coal business to his son, C. H. Tilton, Jr., who now carries it on.

ICE DEALER .- For many years G. C. Fiske has upplied ice to the people of Ashland from his two ice-houses. In addition to this business he carries on the farm formerly worked by his father.

BARBERS .- There have usually been at least two barber-shops in the village. Charles H. Nichols, whose place of business is on Front Street, com- menced in 1871.

HOTELS .- Capt. John Stone built and opened the Railroad House, now Scott's Hotel, in 1834 ; a barn was also built, standing more to the front than the present stable, with cow-yard where Central Block now stands. Stone at that time quit the old dwelling on Union Street, known as the "Simpson " house, and moved into the hotel with his family. He car- ried on the hotel only about a year. Later he took up his abode in the dwelling situated a few rods to the west, which has ever since been occupied by bim or bis descendants. Stone continued to own the hotel property and leased to ditlerent parties. The lessees seem to have occupied in the following order, none of them for long periods : Reignolds, Fuller, Angier, Atherton, Barber, Warren, Bates & Thayer, Bates, Scott.

Smith Bates and Silas F. Thayer bought out Silas Warren in 1848. The business included the livery stable. In the spring following, Thayer sold to his partner the hotel business, but retained the livery. Thayer carried on the livery stable nine years and then sold to W. A. Scott, himself moving to Hopkin- ton. Bates sold the hotel furniture and business to Scott in 1849. From that time to the present Scott has carried on the hotel and stable. In 1868, after the death of Captain Stone, he bought the whole

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hotel property. The stable was burned July 30, 1851, at the time of an officers' drill, when there were many strangers in town, and again on June 15, 1889. It has now again been rebuilt. In the years before the town was incorporated the second story in the wooden easterly extension of the hotel was some- times used as a hall for public meetings. In 1869 O. A. Wilcox bought the lot of land on the north side of Front Street, on which now stand the Cen- tral House and post-office building. There were two houses then upon it. Altering and enlarging the more easterly of these to its present proportions and furnishing it, he opened a hotel which was named the Central House. Here he carried on the business, until 1878, when becoming dissatisfied with results, he moved to Kansas. The receivers of the Mercantile Savings Bank having taken possession as mortgagee, at first leased these premises to various persons, as tenants at will, and finally sold in 1879 to F. D. Osgood, who shortly afterwards conveyed to Michael Manning, the present owner of the property.

In 1869 the Megonko House and livery stable, situated on Pleasant Street, were erected and furnished by C. H. Tilton. S. F. Thayer returned from Hopkin- ton to conduct the business. At the end of four years the livery stable was closed, and the hotel business passed into the hands of C. F. Hanson. Hanson was followed successively by Babcock and Greely. In about 1880 the hotel building was finished into tenement dwellings.

There have usually been one or more restaurants in operation in the village, their lease of life not often extending beyond one year.

LIVERY STABLES .- The history of the Scott livery stable has been given in connection with the account of the hotel now bearing the same name.

The livery stable on Summer Street, for many years conducted by S. F. Thayer, was built by Charles Wenzell about 1861, he buying the land from Albert Leland. Wenzell kept stable five or six years, and sold to Ed. Carter, who continued the business only a year or two. The whole property now came into the hands of John Clark, who took James Moffatt into partnership in the livery business. Later Clark sold to Moffatt the business, retaining owner- ship of the real estate. In 1875 Thayer bought the personal property, and in 1889 his son, Charles E. Thayer, became owner of the real estate.

In 1846 S. F. Thayer began keeping livery stable in a building which stood upon the present site of Mary C. Broad's dwelling-house. In the same year, 1847, Willard Broad became owner of this building and the house which stood at the corner, whose loca- tion is marked by the cellar-hole, visible now for many years. Thayer occupied only for a year, then moving into the "Stone" stable on Main Street. Afterward Broad's barn was occupied successively by Wenzell for a livery stable, and Albert Leland as a boot-shop, till it was burned in about 1850. The

second story was occupied from about 1845 as a boot- bottomer's shop by Willard Broad, who hired work- men and ran teams. Years later Broad was a pioneer in the gilding of boot-tops, and accumulated a small property before the shops introduced gilding-ma- chines.

RAILROADS .- In 1834 the Boston and Worcester Railroad Company, having completed its road from Boston to this point, ran its trains into the low build- ing which now forms the easterly end of the freight- house. This was its first station. Later the two- story boot-shop, which had stood back of the Main Street flag-house, was moved forward to the north side of the track and served for purposes of a railroad passenger station in its first story and for a boot-shop in its second. There were outside stairs at the east end. Below, just east of the building, was an open shed, which at a later date was moved easterly and attached to the first depot, making of the whole the present freight-house. About 1850 the passenger sta- tion was sold and moved to the north side of Front Street, where such part of it as survived a subsequent fire was rebuilt into the present post-office building. A new station was erected on the south side of the track, on the spot now covered by the west end of the present building, which served till 1888, when it was moved across the street and converted into the store now owned by Mrs. McPartiin. The present fine building was erected in the last-named year. It is to be followed by a brick freight-house, to stand on Front Street.

In 1872 the Hopkinton Railroad Company, having completed their road from Milford to Ashland, com- menced running trains, and there has been no inter- ruption in the service to the present time. The new track laid on the south portion of the Boston and Albany road-bed, leading from Cherry Street east, admits the trains to the station of the latter road. Owing to the failure of the Hopkinton Railroad Com - pany to meet their obligations, the mortgage on the road was foreclosed in 1883. At the sale the property was bought by George Draper, who afterwards sold to the Milford and Woonsocket Railroad Company, which in turn has leased to the New York and New England Railroad Company for a term of ninety-nine years. The latter company is now in possession, John T. Jackson being the local freight agent, while passenger tickets are sold by the agent of the Boston and Albany Railroad Company.

The last-named company has been the successor of the Boston and Worcester Railroad Company since 1867. Timothy Vincent was the first general station agent at this point. In about 1841 he was succeeded by James H. Jones, who continued in that position till October, 1873; during the last four years of this period the business being mostly done by his son, C. U. Jones, who had been appointed clerk. Since the resignation of his father, J. Newton Pike has served as agent.

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ASHLAND.

EXPRESS COMPANIES .- Ever since the first days of express companies Ashland has had an agency. Wil- liam W. Whitaker will be remembered as one of the earliest of the agents and afterward as man-of-all- work about the station till his death, about five years ago. E. F. Greenwood was for many years the active agent of the Adams Express Company, now repre- sented by A. J. Lowe. J. N. Pike is agent of the American Express Company and H. G. Stiles of the Ashland and Boston Express Company.

POST-OFFICE .- The Unionville post-office was es- tablished January 7, 1835, presumably, in great part, for the benefit of the cotton-factory. Matthew Met- calf was the first post-master, and the factory store- building was the place where the post-office was kept. On March 17, 1840, William Jennison succeeded to this lucrative position, and on March 6, 1846, James O. Clark was made happy by appointment to it. All this time the office was kept in the factory-store, which building, considering it was also the counting- room for the factory, and devoted to various other im- portant purposes, must have been the principal busi- ness centre of the village. The general post-office at Washington, from which names and dates have been obtained, has this note : " April 29, 1846, name changed to Ashland." As the town was incorporated on March 16th it will be seen that the Post-Office De- partment, so far as it was concerned, graciously ex- tended the life of the dying Unionville just forty-four days. Clark held the office till April 8, 1847, when Willard W. Warren obtained the appointment. Dur- ing, or perhaps at the commencement of Warren's term, the post-office was transferred to the store of G. W. Jones, at corner of Main and Summer Streets. James H. Jones was appointed January 18, 1851, and opened an office in the railroad station. He perform- ed the work of postmaster unassisted for years, in ad- dition to his regular duties as railroad agent at this point. Later, his daughter, Caroline H. Jones, aided him, gradually taking upon herself the whole work. When Jones' health finally failed, Miss Jones was appointed assistant, and conducted the office, her father only signing necessary papers. About 1873 the location of the post-office was changed to the small building in the curtilage of the Jones house, on Main Street. Jones died August 18, 1885. On Sep- tember 21st of the same year, Adrian Foote was ap- pointed to the office. On February 26, 1887, Caleb Holbrook assumed the work as post-master, which he had before carried on as Foote's agent. The office was removed in 1885 to the Coburn Building, situa- ted on the north side of Front Street.

NEWSPAPERS .- The Ashland Advertiser is the orig- inal local newspaper. It was first published August 7, 1869, by George W. Morse, of whom some notice appears elsewhere. H. H. Tilton soon acquired a half- interest. The printing was first done in rooms in the second story of the Jones Building, on a hand-press. About a year later the editing and printing were 36-iii

transferred to the third story of the Broad Building, where the paper remained till its removal to South Framingham, January 21, 1876, and consolidation with the Framingham Gazette. The following per- sons were concerned as owners or editors, or both, while the business remained in Asbland: Morse & Walker, Walker & Mayhew, Geo. P. Mayhew, Edgar Potter and Potter & Vincent. The Ashland Adverti- ser is now printed weekly at South Framingham, by the Lakeview Printing Company, and contains about the same matter as the Framingham Gazette, but somewhat differently arranged on the local pages. The Ashland Advocate and Ashland Tribune are week- ly papers, having a circulation in Ashland, and are printed, respectively, in Marlborough and South Fra- mingham.

SURVEYORS .- Mathew Metcalf was a surveyor of land fifty years ago. He was also a justice of the peace and made many of the deeds of that day. His handwriting, though fine, was always even and clear.

William F. Ellis, who had been a student with Metcalf, began work as a surveyor, shortly before the organization of the town. He did substantially all the local work of that kind till about ten years ago, when his railroad engineering, in which business he had also become an expert, took him away temporar- ily. Hestill retained his residence in Ashland and returned in 1887, to resume his local work. Follow- ing the employment of surveyor so many years in Ashland, he became acquainted with the farms and other divisions of land, having in many cases person- al knowledge of the bounds and dividing lines. He was a justice of the peace, and his bold, uniform hand- writing may be found upon very many of the deeds, affecting Ashland property, passed during the last fifty years. He also wrote wills and administered upon estates. Hle was kept much in town office, and there is probably no board of town officers upon which he has not served. His influence in establish- ing and conducting the town has been second to none. He died suddenly of heart-disease, in Angust, 1888.

George A. Ellis and William F. Ellis, sons of the Ellis above mentioned, while learning the business of surveyor, assisted their father, but moved away upon entering on business of their own.

George H. Stone, a son of Captain John Stone, has been known as an engineer and surveyor, although he spent most of his life in operations away from town. He studied in the office of Simeon Borden, of Fall River. Beginning for himself, he was first engaged in the engineering department of the Boston & Wor- cester Railroad Company. He was living in Natick from 1857 to 1862, at which latter date he joined the army, being attached first to the Sixth, and later to the Twenty-sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volun- teers. He was made lieutenant of engineers, and placed on the staff of General Weitzel, at New Or- leans. In this city he was in charge of the work of restoring the levees destroyed by the rebels at their

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

retreat. After the war he returned to Natick, and later was engaged about a year and a half as engineer in the construction of the European and North Amer- ican Railroad in Maine. In 1869 he removed to Ash - land, making that his home, and engaging in various enterprises till his death, in 1879.

PHYSICIANS .- Any account of the physicians who have practiced in the town of Ashland would be inade- quate without some mention of Dr. James S. Sullivan, whose memory is still fresh and cheering in the minds of the older people. He came here in about 1835, and remained several years. He had an office in the second story of the West Building. He built the two "Sullivan " houses, that is, those now owned by Mrs. E. M. F. Forbush and Mrs. Mary E. Brewer. He possessed a large heart, as well as a bright mind, and became much beloved. He married Miss Jane Valentine, of Hopkinton. He went away in about 1843, wandering Westand South, spending some years in Darien, Georgia, and finally dying in Savannah.

Dr. Jonas C. Harris followed Sullivan. IIe first lived in the "Simmons " house, that being the house next easterly from Mrs. Willard Broad's. He built what is now known as the " John Clark " house, sit- uated on Main Street subsequently to the setting off the town, which he helped accomplish. He was ad- mitted to be a good physician even by his enemies. His nature was of a positive kind that hews out its own way. He was made a colonel of militia. He moved away about 1853, going to Cambridge, where he has since remained, having a successful practice.

About this time or perhaps earlier, Drs. Learned and Wheeler were in town, the latter conducting a school for boys in one of the "Sullivan " houses.

Dr. Jackson, an eclectic physician, came before Harris went away. He spent several years in practice.

Dr. William Barrett took the house of Dr. Harris upon the departure of the latter, and practiced medi- cine very successfully for a number of years. His wife was a sister of E. A. Forbush, of whom mention has been made. Dr. Barrett went away to Boston, where he has found a large field for labor.

Dr. William Rogers was a successful physician here for many years. lle lived in the " Buck " house, the same now owned by the Adams sisters, on Front Street. He was of a social nature and made many friends. His health failed and he was obliged to give up working in his profession some fifteen years ago. He has been dead for several years.

Dr. Seaver lived in the "Simmons" house and practiced medicine for several years.

Dr. J. M. Wiggin followed Seaver, residing for a time in the same house. About 1870 he built a resi- dence on the corner of Railroad and Alden Streets, and practiced medicine successfully to nearly the time of his decease, in 1882. He was a man of good judgment and decided opinions. He held town office, acting on the Board of Overseers of the Poor. He had formerly been a Methodist preacher, and ap-

peared in the pulpit occasionally during his stay in Ashland.

Dr. G. C. Pierce came to Ashland in September, 1866. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and of the Harvard Medical School. He spent two years in Bellevue Medical School, New York City. He is a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society and other societies. About 1870 he built a house at the corner of Central and Alden Streets, in which since that time he has resided and had his office. Being one of the physicians longest in practice in this vi- cinity, he is called to neighboring towns for attend- ance and consultation. He was for many years a member of the School Committee.

Dr. J. H. Redfearn came to town first in 1879 and remained four years. Ile then engaged in business which took him to Texas during the winter seasons. After an absence of six years he returned to Ashland. Ilis office is at his residence on Main Street. He graduated from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons in New York City. He is a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and corresponding member of the Gynæcological Society of Boston.

Dr. I. J. Clark took up his residence in this place in 1883, and continued in the practice of medicine till 1886, when he sold his business and moved to Woburn. He has now been for several years prac- ticing in Haverhill.

Dr. F. E. Mayberry succeeded to the business of Dr. Clark, remaining three years, when he removed to Hoosick Falls, N. Y.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 132

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