History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 55

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 55

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In addition to the soldiers that were in Col. Pres- cott's regiment, the following Pepperell men served in the Continental Army for different terms of service, varying from three months to seven years; Daniel Hobart, killed at the battle of White Plains in 1776 ; James Locke, Dennis Organ, Joseph Plummer, John Whipple, Andrew Tufts, Eleazar Gilson, Nathaniel Sartell, Isaac Williams, Noah Wright, Samuel Moody Emerson, Shubael Conant, Jonathan Barron, Ed- mund Wright, Jacob Nutting, Jonathan Bancroft, David Tarbell and Dudley B. Kemp.

On the muster-roll for Middlesex County, June, 1777, the following persons from Pepperell were re- turned as enrolled in Col. Jackson's battalion, Capt. Benj. Brown's company, viz. :

James McConner, Jonas Green, Ebenezer Shattuck, Abraham Shat- tuck, Daniel Shattuck, Benjamin Green, Sampson Woods, William Scott, John Gilson, Thomas Lawrence, William Lakin, John Shattuck (3d), Lemuel Parker.

They served a campaign in Rhode Island.

The following were out on the brigantine "Hague," under command of Commodore Manley :

Edmund Blood, John Hosley, Samuel Wright, Peter Stevens, John Stevena, Joel Shattuck, Peter Powers, Luke Day, John Barnard, Oliver Tarbell, Joseph Emerson, MI Lovejoy, Theodore Lovejoy, Joseph Love- joy, Richard Holden, Daniel Holden, Oliver Holden, Ezekiel Gowen, David Pratt, David Lewis, David Shedd.

Few, if any, towns of its size furnished so many men for the war as Pepperell. It was one of the first places in which a " liberty-pole was erected," and there was not a single Tory within its limits. As we have already seen, it was dangerons for one to at- tempt even to pass through it.

The patriotic and military spirit in the town did not cease with the war. The names of Prescott and Bunker Hill became synonyms of "liberty and independence." The 17th of Jnne was a " red-letter " day, whose anniversary quite overshadowed that of the "Fourth of July." The Revolutionary survivors, es- pecially those that had been wounded at Bunker Hill, were looked upon as " heroes in history," and regarded with feelings akin to veneration. An active interest in military matters was kept up, and the title of " Captain " became an honor to be coveted.

A volunteer militia company was organized about the year 1820 under the name of the " Prescott Guards." From this company the following captains were promoted to field officers in the "Old Sixth " Regiment : Col. William Buttrick, Gen. Geo. Green, Maj. Jos. G. Heald, Maj. Luther S. Bancroft, Col. Samuel P. Shattuck, Maj. Geo. T. Bancroft, Col. Al- den Lawrence, Maj. Edmund A. Parker and Col. E. F. Joncs.

On the 15th of April, 1861, Col. Jones received the following order :

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, ADJ. GENERAL'S OFFICE, " BOSTON, April 15, 1861.

"COL. JONES, SIR :- I am directed by his excellency, the Commander- in-Chief, to order you tu muster your regiment on Boston Common

forthwith, in compliance with a requisition made by the President of the United States. The troops are to go to Washington. By order of his Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief.

" WM. SCHOULER, " Adj. General."

Although the regiment was scattered over thirty towns, yet in a few hours seven hundred men, twen- ty-two of whom were from Pepperell, were present in Boston ready for duty. After an exchange of their old guns for new rifles, Governor Andrew presented the regimental colors to Col. Jones with these words :

"Soldiers, smamoned suddenly with but a moment for preparation we have done all that lay in the power of men to do-all that rested in the power of your State Government to do-to prepare the citizen soldiers of Massachusetts for this service. We shall follow you with our benedictions, our henefactions and prayers. Those whom you leave behind you we shall cherish in our heart of hearts. Yua carry with you our utmost faith and confidence. We know that you never will return until you can bring the assurances that the utmost duty has been performed which hrave and patriotic med can accomplish. Thie Flag, sir, take and hear with you. It will be an em- blem on which all eyes will rest, reminding you always of that which you are bound to hold most dear."

In receiving the flag Colonel Jones thus replied :

"Your Excellency has given me this Flag, which is the emblem of all that stands before you. It represents my whole command ; and so help me God, I will never disgrace it."

The record of the "Old Sixth," its intrepid march through Baltimore on the twice memorable 19th of April, the great service it rendered the government at a most critical period, have all become a thrilling part of the history of the country.

Congress passed the following vote of thanks, which was engrossed on parchment and sent to Col. Jones :

"Thirty-seventh Congress of the United States, at the first session in the House of Representatives, July 22, 1861. Resolved, that the thanks of this house are dos, aud are hereby tendered, to the Sixth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers for the alacrity with which they re- aponded to the call of the President, and the patriotism and bravery which they displayed on the 19th of April last, in fighting their way through the city of Baltimore on their march to the defence of the Federal Capital.

" GALUSHA A. GROW, " Speaker of the House of Representatives. " Attest :

" EM. ETHERDIOE, Clerk."

Pepperell furnished about one hundred and fifty soldiers for the War of the Rebellion. The regiments in which they enlisted were the Sixth, Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-sixth, Thir- ty-second, Thirty-third, Thirth-sixth, Thirty-ninth, Forty-fourth, Forty-seventh and Fifty-third Massa- chusetts Infantry ; Sixth New Hampshire Infantry ; Eighth New Hampshire Cavalry ; Second Massachu- setts Cavalry ; First New Jersey Band ; Lowell Brigade Band ; and the band of the Third Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-fourth Army Corps.

The following soldiers lost their lives by reason of the war :

Marvin Adama died of chronic diarrhea and fever at New Orleans, July 9, 1863, aged forty-three.

Aaron Carter, killed in hattle at Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864, aged forty-twu.

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Thomas 11. Bailey died of measles at Harrison's Landing, Va. His budy was brought home and buried with appropriate services.

Corp. Chas. H. Balcom died of typhoid fever at Suffolk, Va., aged twenty nne. His remains were also brought to Pepperell for inter- ment.

Henry G. W. Clark died of wounds received on picket duty in front of Petersburg, Va., Jnly 7, 1864, aged eighteen years.

Charles Durant died in Confederate hospital at Petersburg, Va., Feb. 15, 1864, aged thirty-seven. 1Ie was wounded at the second battle of Hatcher'e Run and taken prisoner. His death was caused by hemor- rhage resulting from amputation of the leg.

Henry W. Durant died of disease contracted in the army, November 4, 1867.

James Fitzgerald died of disease contracted in the army, August 26, 1866, aged thirty seven years.

Maurice Flaherty died of disease contracted in the army June 18, 1867.

Lient. Thos. Hosley, killed in battle of Port Hudson, June 14, 1863, aged twenty-four. He was distinguished for his activity and bravery. His body, when found after the battle, was pierced with eleven bullet- boles.

Cyrus H. Gray died of disease contracted in the army January 14, 1868, aged fifty.

Eben F. Lawrence died of wounds and diphtheria at Aquia Creek, Va., June 11, 1863, aged twenty years.

John F. Miller died of disease contracted in the army September 12, 1868, aged twenty-four years.

Benj. Augustus Williams was discharged from the service for disability at New Orleans, November 25, 1862. He died on board the United States ship " Fenton " when four days ont on his homeward passage, and was buried at sea. lle was thirty-seven years of age.

Robert F. Webb was born in Stroudwater, Gloucestershire County, Englaud, but came to America when a youth. He enlisted in the Sixth Regiment, and, at the expiration of term of service, re-enlisted in the Thirty sixth Regiment ; received a first sergeant's commission March 17, 1863, and joined Gen. Burnside's Ninth Corps. After the battles of Fredericksburg and Peach Orchard, he was promoted to second lienten- ant. lle was killed in battle at Poplar Grove, near Petersburg, Va., Sep- tember 30, 1861, and was buried in the Ninth Corps Cemetery, in front of Petersburg. An officer of his regiment saye of him : "Lieut. Webb was a noble and brave officer, and fought bravely to the last for bie adopted country."

Thomas A. Parker was born in Pepperell, Nov. 27, 1834. Soon after becoming of age he went to Boston, and obtained the situation of gate- keeper, South Boston House of Correction. By his fidelity and ability be gained the confidence of the officers of the institution and wae repeated- ly promoted until he became deputy warden. He enlisted in Company H, Second Massachusetts Cavalry, June 14, 1864. On the 16th of July following, at the battle of Rockville, Hauover County, Va., be, and two hundred others, held the town over night against forty thousand Confed- erate troops, but in the morning they were obliged to surrender. He was taken to Libby Prison, Richmond, Va., and from there was removed to Danville, Va., where he died of starvation Dec. 10, 1864. After the close of the war his remains were brought to his home in Pepperell and buried with all the houors due to a brave soldier and noble mar- tyr to the cause of freedom.

In 1849 there commenced a contest between the town and certain members of the First Parish, which continued several years, and caused a great deal of local excitement. About the time of its incorpora- tion the parish acquired possession of two acres of land, one-half of which was appropriated for a bury- ing-ground, and the other acre, upon which the meeting-house was located, was used as a " common."

Upon the incorporation of a second parish in 1831, the question arose regarding the legal ownership of this common ; there appears to have been no dispute about the burial-ground. The First Parish claimed to be the rightful successors of all property that had been appropriated to parish uses by the original parish and town united. This claim the town were willing to allow, but argued that the " common " had been

devoted to municipal purposes by the united corpora- tion, and therefore had ceased to be the private prop- erty of the parish, and had become vested in the town.

The controversy, however, remained a merely verbal one until 1849. In September of that year the First Parish voted "that inhabitants and members of the parish who may associate together for that purpose, be authorized to build sheds ou the common for their use, and at their own expeuse ; such sheds to be located and built under the superintendence and direction of a committee chosen for that purpose."

Pursuant to this vote, a row of horse-sheds was built, extending from the meeting-house easterly to the spot now occupied by the receiving tomb, the back of these sheds being only five and a half feet distant from the burying-yard wall. As the ground slopes considerably, the sheds were built upon two levels, but even then the stone underpinning at the easterly end of each level was several feet high. Along the southerly wall of the burying-yard were four tombs, the entrance to three of them being outside of the wall, and within the common. After the erection of the sheds, the only access to these tombs was through one of the sheds, and a small door in the back part thereof into the narrow space between the shcds and wall. At the time of the laying of the foundation the chairman of the selectmen and others, in behalf of the tomb-owners, forbade the workmen to proceed with the work, but to no effect. At a town-meeting, January 21, 1850, it was voted "that the selectmeu remove the horse-sheds at the expense of the town."

At a subsequent meeting, March 5th, voted "that the selectmen notify the shed-owners to remove their sheds forthwith, and if they did not, then the select- men should see that the said sheds be removed within a fortnight from this day peaceably." The owners were notified accordingly, but did not move the sheds. Before the expiration of the fortnight the owner of one of the tombs had occasion to open it for the burial of a member of the family, and, under authority of the selectmen, took down and removed the shed in front of that tomb, but the next day the shed was rebuilt by the owner. A few days after- wards the selectmen and the owners of the several sheds, or their representatives, demolished the entire row of sheds, and removed the lumber from the grounds.

Thereupon the "horse-shed war " began in earnest. Suits for trespass were immediately commenced against the parties engaged in the tearing down of the sheds; which suits the town assumed and de- fended. For about three years the great question in town matters was horse-sheds, Town-meetings, were re- peatedly called for that only. The town officers were elected on that issue alone. Compared with that question, all others were of minor importance and in- terest.

At the June term, 1851, of the "Court of Common

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Pleas " of Middlesex County, a verdict was rendered in favor of the plaintiffs, but the defendants appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court, where the verdict was set aside, and judgment rendered for the defend- ants.

The opinion of the Court was that the town was entitled to a right of convenieut access to the burying- yard, over the common, and therefore that there had been no trespass in the removal of any obstructions thereto. This settled the case of trespass, but the question of the legal ownership of the common was not touched ; and it remains an unsettled question to this day.

The Worcester and Nashua Railroad, which was opened for travel in 1848, was located along the east- ern bank of the Nashua River, through Groton. A station for Pepperell was located opposite Babbitasset village. This was a nucleus toward which business naturally gravitated, and around which a village grew up, identified in all its business and social relations with Pepperell rather than with Groton. A new bridge was built connecting the two villages, and re- ducing the distance to Pepperell centre to almost one mile, while Groton centre was nearly four miles away. The inhabitants of the new village, therefore, very reasonably asked to become an integral part of Pep- perell. This request the town of Groton was willing to grant, but, with a liberality whose disinterestedness was somewhat questioned, insisted upon giving away the whole northeastern end of her township. This generous gift was finally accepted, and in 1857, by act of the Legislature, a territory of about two square miles area was annexed to Pepperell.

Politically Pepperell was always a stanch Demo- cratic town until 1854, when it was captured by the " Know-Nothing" faction. But the next year it wheeled into line with the Republicans, and has ever since carried a large majority for that party.

The population of Pepperell, according to the sev- eral census returns have been as follows : 1790, 1132 ; 1800, 1198; 1810, 1333; 1820, 1439; 1830, 1444; 1840, 1571; 1850, 1754; 1860, 1895; 1870, 1842; 1880, 2347. At the State census of 1885 it was 2586, and at the coming census the number will probably reach 3000.

The valuation of the town was, in 1850, $557,000; in 1860, $762,000; 1870, $1,102,605; 1880, $1,309,000; 1889, $1,675,000.

CLERKS OF GROTON WEST PARISH AND PEPPERELL,-Eleazer Gilson, from January, 1742-43, 10 Marcb, 1743 ; Samuel Wright, Jr., March, 1743, to 1752; Josiah Fisk, March, 1752, to 1753, and of the town until 1768 ; also from 1770 to 1773 ; William Prescott, 1768-69, 1773 and 1788 ; Nehemiah lIobart, 1774 to 1780, except 1777; William Green, 1777 ; Henry Woods, 1780 Rnd 1790 ; Joseph Heald, 1781 to 1806, except 1788 and 1790 ; Nehemiah Jewett, Jr., 1806 to 1816 ; Dr. John Waltoo, 1817- 24; Hon. Abel Jewett, 1824-25, 1832-33; William Bnttrick, 1826-27 ; Hon. James Lewis, 1828 to 1832; Samuel FRrrar, 1831, 1849-52 ; Arnold Hutchinson, 1834-35, 1841-42; George W. Tarbell, 1836-41 ; Samuel Tucker, 1843-44 ; Jobb Loring, 1845 to 1849 ; Charles Crosby, 1852, and 1854-64 ; S. R. Herrick, 1853; Levi Wallace, 1864 ; D. W. Jewett, 1865 to 1880 ; Dr. W. F. Heald, 1880 to 1886 ; P. J. Kemp, 1886.

REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT .- Captain Edmund Ban-

croft, 1776 ; Colonel Henry Woods, 1777 and 1780 ; Captain John Nutting, 1781; Colonel William Prescott, 1782, '83, '85 and '86; Joseph Heald, 1787-1808, except 1795, 1796 and 1802 ; William Hutchinson, 1809 and 10; Nebemiah Jewett, Jr., 1811 to 1819, except 1817 and '18; HoD. Abel Jewett, 1820, 1821, 1823 and 1831 ; Francie Blood, 1824 and '25 ; Colonel William Buttrick, 1827, 1829, 1832 and 1834 ; Hon. James Lewis, 1827, 1830 and 1832; Arnold Hutchinson, 1830, 1832, 1838, 1839, 1841 and 1843 ; David Blood, Jr., 1836 and '37 ; Joseph G. Ileald, 1836; John P. Tarbell, 1839-41, 1843; Luther Lawrence, 1844, 1×45 and 1850; Charles Farrar, 1847; John D. Fiske, 1851 ; Thomas J. Dow, 1851 and '52 ; Sumner Carter, 1855 ; Alfred L. Lawrence, 1856 ; Charles Tarbell, 1857 ; Rev. Charles Babbidge, 1859 ; Samuel P. Shattuck, 1861 ; Albert Leighton, 1863 and 1871 ; Colonel E. F.Jones, 1865 ; Levi Wallace, 1868 ; A. J. Saunders, 1876; S. P. Lawrence, 1879; Charles H. Miller, 1862 ; Frank Leightoo, 1885; John O. Bennett, 1889.

SENATORS .- Abel Jewett, 1825 to 1828 ; JRmes Lewis, 1828 to 1830 ; John P. Tarbell, 1842; Asa F. Lawrence, 1841 to 1844 ; C. W. Bellows, 1848 ; A. Hutchinson, 1850; Levi Wallace, 1872 and '73; A. J. Saun- ders, 1877, '78.

DELEGATES TO THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS .- Colonel William Prescott, at Salem ; Captain Edmund Bancroft, at Cambridge and Watertown.

DELEGATE TO THE CONVENTION TO FORM STATE CONSTITUTION .- Colonel llenry Woods.

DELEOATE TO THE CONVENTION TO ADOPT THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. -Daniel Fisk.

DELEGATES TO CONVENTIONS TO AMEND STATE CONSTITUTION .- ID 1821, Dr. John WRIton, Hon. Abel Jewett ; in 1852, Luther Lawrence.

CHAPTER XXI.

PEPPERELL-(Continued).

EDUCATIONAL.

IN 1741 the town of Groton voted to have a school kept a part of the time at Nissittisset. This was, probably, the first school on the west side of the river. In 1749 a petition from the inhabitants of the West Parish, for the means of supporting a school, was granted by the town of Groton on condition that a school-room be provided by the parish without expense to the town. This condition being fulfilled, the town granted the sum of £13 68. 8d. The school appears to have been kept at the home of Jonas Varnum. 1n 1753 the district voted to raise £7 108. for schooling, and that the school should be kept at the nearest convenient place to the meeting-house ; also that all who lived more than two miles distant might draw their proportion of the money, and appropriate the same for schooling as they might see fit. In 1754 it was voted that the school should be kept in three places, but this number was afterwards reduced to two. We find the first mention of a school-house, at the centre, in 1764. It was situated on the corner where the Town House now stands, but was subsequently moved southward several rods, to make room for the building of a store. Yet notwith- standing the existence of this school-house, it was voted, in 1770, to have the school successively in four different parts of the district, and in dwelling-houses. The school-house is again mentioned in 1771, when a vote was passed to have a grammar master. But the school-house appears to have belonged to individuals,

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PEPPERELL.

for in 1772 the district voted to purchase it for the sum of £10 138. 4d., and also to build four more. About this time the district was divided into six " squadrons," as they were called, which were distinguished as Middle, North, South, East, West and Southwest ; and a committee of three persons in each " squadron " was annually chosen, to see that the money that was appropriated be properly expended. In 1809 the name of squadron was changed to school district, and these districts were designated by number. In 1819 District No. 7 was formed from the easterly part of No. 1 ; and the following year, No. 8 was taken from the westerly part of No. 6, and has always been known as the " Pine Orchard School." In 1849, No. 9 was formed from parts of No. 3 and No. 5. The territory east of the Nashua River, on its annexation to the town in 1857, became District No. 10.

In 1868 the town voted to abolish the district sys tem, since which time the term " district " has lost its municipal meaning, and the designation of the several schools by number has gradually become obsolete.

The old district system was somewhat peculiar and anomalous. The district was a miniature republic, occupying a certain accurately-defined territory. It had its annual meetings duly called by legal war- rant, at which meetings the necessary district officers were chosen for the ensuing year, and the financial business of the district transacted. Money could be raised and appropriated for school purposes, and a tax for the same levied upon the inhabitants ; and in ail these matters every legal voter of the district was entitled to a voice and a vote.

The district was obliged to provide, at its own ex- pense, a school-house, and keep the same iu repair ; also the fuel and necessary incidentals for the school. The money that was raised by the town and appro- priated for school purposes was apportioned among the several districts, but could be used only for the payment of teachers ; and no teacher could draw from the treasury any money in payment for his services, without a certificate of competency from the Board of School Committee. Without such certificate he even had no right to enter the school-room to take charge of the school. The executive officer of the district was chosen annually, and was styled the "pruden- tial committeeman." It was his duty to take charge of the school property, to supply the fuel and other needs of the school, and to employ the teacher. But here his accountability ceased. He hired the teacher and set him to work, but had no authority over him ; he couldn't discharge him even for gross misconduct. To the School Committee, and to them alone, was the teacher amenable. So long as he had their support, he could, if he chose to be persistent, remain in charge of his school in spite of the whole district ; but if they discharged him the united district could no longer retain him, except at their own expense.

This divided responsibility resulted occasionally in

a serious " unpleasantness " between the district and the School Committee, in case of an unsuccessful teacher. The prudential committeeman would be ready to absolve himself from blame with the plea that the School Committee had "approbated " the teacher and taken the responsibility upon themselves ; while the committee would, with fair show of reason, argue that they did not hire the teacher, but simply examined him, as presented to them ; and that the examination had been satisfactory.

But the system was, undoubtedly, weil adapted to the condition and needs of the community at that time. Every individual had an active participation in the affairs of his district, and felt a live interest in the welfare of his school. There was a laudable, al- though rather clannish, ambition to have " our" school the best in town, and this feeling excited and maintained in the school an emulation that other- wise would have been difficult of attainment.

The school-houses of that period were also peculiar. They were nearly all built after the same conventional pattern. A low, quadrangular structure of wood, or of brick, twenty-five to thirty feet square, with a door, often a porch, at one end, and a chimney at the other. In the interior, along the centre, was a level space some six feet in width, called " the floor," from each side of which a floor inclined gradually upwards to the side of the building. Upon this slope were built the heavy plank benches and desks, rising one above the other like the seats in an amphitheatre. The teacher's desk was usually either by the door or by the fire-place ; but in some houses the entrance, the fire- place and the desk were all at the same end, and in such case the opposite end was built up and filled with benches similar to the sides. In some school-houses the benches extended the whole length of the build- ing; in others they were divided by aisles into two or more sections. The seats were narrow, and at such height as to render it impossible for the younger occu- pants to rest their feet upon the floor. With a hundred boys and girls crowded into such a room,-all fresh from the out-door life and freedom of the farm,-bois- terous, and sometimes inclined to malicious mischief, the management of the school was no sinecure. The first question in regard to the teacher was, "Can he keep order ?" His literary qualifications need not be of a high order. If he was a tolerably good reader and speller, had " ciphered " through Adams' Old Arithmetic, could set a fair round-hand copy, and had a general knowledge of grammar and geography, he was judged competent to " teach." But unless he could also be "master " of his school, his occupation was soon gone. The branches of study taught were con- fined to the " three R's," with perhaps a class or two in grammar or geography. The text-books commonly used were " Adams' Arithmetic," "Scott's Lessons" and " Pierpont's American First Class Book," " Web- ster's Spelling Book," and a compilation of Scripture stories and extracts called "Beauties of the Bible."

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 55

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