History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 62

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 62

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In accordance with this act, the town of Hudson at a meeting held November 2, 1869, voted to sub- scribe for five hundred and fifty shares of the common stock of the company and to issue bonds to the amount of fifty-five thousand dollars to pay for the same. Later on, in 1872, it was voted to make notes instead of bonds, to be paid in not less than five nor more than twenty years. It should be noted that at the time this vote to subscribe was passed, the town had had a corporate existence but little more than three years, and the sum voted under the circum- stances was a very large one, showing the enterprise of the place, and the confidence of the people in the benefit that would follow to the town from the build- ing of the road.

The history of the building of the road is about like that of most of our railroads ; first, a delay on ac- count of the crisis of 1873, then a failure on the part of those in control to adopt the best methods, fre- quent changes in the management, all conspiring with the opposition of older and competing lines to obstruct the building of the road. Meanwhile the funds of the corporation were being spent in the con- struction of the line at different points wide apart, but nothing effective was done or any apparent result ar- rived at until the road became almost a laughing-stock, and was despaired of by all except its most ardent friends, some of whom were in Hudson. Throughout this period of depression the town of Hudson, by its votes, acceded to all the requests of the managers of the line to help it out of difficulty. In June, 1878, the town voted to assign its stock to a trustee, Thom- as Talbot, three-fourths of which should go to the

company in case the road was built and equipped on or before November 1, 1880 ; but this was not done, and the town voted to do even more than this and modified ity agreement so that it should be binding in case the road was built and in operation in part from the town of Oakham to a point on the Boston and Lowell Railroad, the Fitchburg terminus having been given up before this. This second agreement was in the early part of the year 1880, but November came and found the road still wanting. It was then voted to extend the agreement one year, or until November 1, 1881. At this last date Mr. Norman C. Munson, the contractor, had the road in operation to Hudson, but as this did not comply with the terms of the con- tract the whole arrangement fell through. Mr. Mun- son succeeded in keeping the road in operation for about two years, when he was obliged to suspend. In 1883 the road was reorganized, and on December 7th, of that year, the town voted to exchange its stock for the same amount of Central Massachusetts stock. After the reorganization, in 1884, the road was leased to the Boston and Lowell Railroad Company, once more opened and completed to Northampton.

As a result of all these complications and changes, the town's stock naturally had been fluctuating from nothing to a point as high as thirty-three cents on the dollar, and a majority of the citizens of the town con- cluded to sell the stock when, in the judgment of the selectmen and treasurer they could make a good sale of it. The town finally realized about fourteen cents upon the dollar, and closed its financial connection with the road.

It would not be a just statement to declare that the town has thus lost that which was invested in the road. The results aimed at, competition, lower rates, more direct communication with Boston, Worcester and the West, have all been obtained, and will increase in the years to follow. Already it is possible to load a car at this point to ship through to San Francisco direct. Like the town-house, water-works and school buildings, the investment is sure and is proving daily the wisdom of this town and of others along the line in encouraging the construction of the road.

It is to be regretted that Francis Brigham, the one of all others in Hudson, who, by speech and his money, steadfastly upheld and advocated this road, did not live to feast his eyes upon the line in operation. Those who knew how strongly he was attached to the success of this company, alone can realize how much it would have repaid him for a great deal of his hard and generally discouraging labor.

This line of railroad is now under lease to the Bos- ton & Maine Corporation, and forms an important factor in its Southern Division. The service is most efficient, and the indications now are that in the near future it will be double-tracked and become a trunk line to the South and West.

Through trains are now run daily over this line via the Poughkeepsie bridge between Boston and Phila-

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delphia and Washington and between Boston and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Hudson is thus most fortunately circumstanced, as all trains stop at this point.

MILITARY AFFAIRS .- It would be most interesting, were it possible to devote the space to it in this place, to narrate in detail the military history of the people who have been residents of this place during its differ- ent stages of evolution from the "Mills" to Felton- ville and thence to the present time. There is a peculiar fascination attending things military, espe- cially to the younger generation of men, and the old system of May training, when all were expected to turn out as a part of the military forces of the State at least one day in the year, was productive of a varied assortment of colonels, majors and captains, traces of which still linger in our midst. The citizens of Marl- borough and Feltonville, we are inclined to believe, were more than ordinarily interested in military affairs, and among the older men of the place can be found many who recount with evident pleasure their memories of "war," mimic war, in which they in- dulged as far back as 1840.

The Marlborough Rifles was the organization which, under various changes from time totime, enlisted the sympathy and membership of most of the young men of Feltonville, and although it was a Marlborough organization, a fair share of its commanders were Feltonville men, among whom were Captain Francis Brigham, Gilman Hapgood and Daniel Pope, the last- named of whom was especially fond of the militia.

This company was a part of the Fifth Regiment of Militia, commanded at one time by Colonel Benjamin F. Butler, and attended musters in most of the towns in Middlesex County. At home the territory now ly- ing between Felton and Church Streets was an open field, and drilling took place here, a day at a time, the citizens patriotically setting out the necessary rations.

Feltonville was not forgotten in the larger musters, and the territory lying east of Lincoln Street, then owned by Caleb E. Nourse, was the scene of martial arrays, in which the local company made a prominent showing in their elaborate uniforms. There seems to be a unanimity of belief that the principal " enemy " was located about in the rear of what is called Peters' Grove.

For a short time from 1859 until after the breaking out of the Rebellion, this company of rifles seems to have been a part of the Second Battalion, made up of companies from Sudbury, Natick and Marlborough, and commanded by a Major Moore, of Sudbury, who, fortunately, or unfortunately, died at about the time a call was made for volunteers for the suppression of the war. His death necessitated a delay, and another organization, the Third Battalion of Rifles, from Wor- cester, was sent to the front among the three months' men. This Major Moore was succeeded in the com- mand of the battalion by Captain Henry Whitcomb,

of Hudson, who held a major's commission for a time during the years 1861-62. By the time the services of this command were wanted a new order of things was arranged, the old battalion formations were broken up and the Marlborough Rifles became a portion of the Thirteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, one com - pany, " F," under the command of Captain Whit- comb, and the other company, "I," under the com- mand of Captain Robert C. H. Schreiber, of Boston. A third company, " G," of the Ninth Massachusetts Volunteers, made up of Irishmen, also went to the front and saw a great deal of hard fighting and suffered the great hardships of the Army of the Potomac, to which they were attached. The history of these companies is the history of the Army of the Potomac from July 16, 1861, when they were mustered into the United States service for three years, and it need not be de- tailed here. They suffered their share of the hard- ships and privations, lost their full share of men by death or disability and are entitled to the great honor which always attaches to patriotic aud unselfish acts. A reference to the official records discloses the fact that a great many of the members of these companies of the Thirteenth have since become prominent in the various walks in life both in Marlborough and in Hudson. As they did not continue a company exis- tence after the expiration of their term of service, we are obliged to leave them here.

Less than a year after the companies of the Thir- teenth and Ninth had gone to the front, or, to be exact, in the month of May, 1862, the situation was such that a demand for more volunteers was deemed imminent, and the citizens of Feltonville having pe- titioned for the formation of another company there, an order was issued from the office of the Adjutant- General of Massachusetts, addressed to Daniel Pope and eighty-four other petitioners, directing them to meet in " Union Hall," for the purpose of electing the necessary officers, the company to be lettered " I," and attached to the Fifth Regiment.

The company was accordingly organized by the election of William E. C. Worcester as captain, Charles B. Newton, first lieutenant, and Luther H. Farnsworth, second lieutenant. It was the common expectation then that the company would immedi- ately be ordered with the regiment to the front; but it was not until the 10th day of September following, that they went into camp at Wenham, Massachusetts, and upon the 16th day of that month were mustered into the United States service. Previous to this there had been several changes among the officers of the company and regiment. Captain Worcester was made major and the vacancy iu the company was filled by the promotion of Lieutenant Newton and the election of William S. Frost, the present county com- missioner, to the position of sccond lieutenant, sev- eral others declining an election for various reasons. The membership of this company was made up more distinctively of Feltonville men, although they are

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found credited to Marlborough, Bolton and Berlin. On October 22d the regiment left camp for New- bern, North Carolina, by way of the United States steamer " Mississippi." This place was reached on the 28th, and within forty-eight hours the regiment received orders to march, and for the next six months they were given a large amount of hard and dangerous dnty to perform. The Fifth was a good regiment, and its colonel, George H. Peirson, an ex- cellent officer, so that more than their share of the time they were doing the most difficult and danger- ous part of the duty. Their first enconnter with the Confederate troops was at Planter's Creek, in which skirmish three men were killed; the next was at Woodington Church, and the first heavy engagement was that known as the battle of Whitehall, on the 16th day of December, 1862, the Fifth being on the right of the line and in the thickest of the fight. Upon this tour of duty, which was for the purpose of de- stroying the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, the regiment marched one hundred and eighty miles, and, on account of their valiant services, were directed by Major-General Foster to inscribe on their colors the names of Kinston, Whitehall and Goldsboro'.

In March, 1863, the regiment was ordered out for the purpose of making an advance on account of hostile demonstrations by the rebels, and was ready to march in fifteen minutes from the receipt of the order. They went to a place known as Deep Gully and suf- fered much from the extreme cold weather. The next month, April, saw two more hard marches and a fight at Blount's Creek. At Cove Creek occurred another meeting with the " Johnnies," in which the Fifth won applause. On the 21st of May occurred an attack upon a large force at Mosely Creek, and the Northern forces captured more than two hundred prisoners, forty-three horses and mules, eight ambulances, seven- teen wagons, one gun, five hundred stand of arms, seventeen rounds of ammunition, together with the entire hospital furniture and supplies of the enemy. This was the last expedition in which the Fifth was engaged, and in some respects the hardest, owing to the intense heat, miry swamps and almost impene- trable jungles through which the troops were forced to march.

On the 26th of May four hundred men, under com- mand of Major Worcester, were commanded to pro- ceed to Wilkinson's Point, on the Neuse River, twenty miles below Newbern, to erect and occupy fortifica- tions at that place; but as the order was counter- manded, the force returned to camp on the 28th. The regiment reached home on June 22d, and was enthu- siastically received by the people of Boston and by the citizens and authorities of Charlestown. When " I" company reached Feltonville they received a wel- come which was more enjoyable to them, and if not so much of a demonstration as they had witnessed in Boston, it was nevertheless as hearty as the people of the place could make it.

The regiment was mustered out of the service July 2, 1863.

By this hasty review it will be seen that the regi- ment did an unusual amount of arduous service dnr- ing its term of enlistment, beginning but a few hours after it set foot upon hostile soil, and continuing until the eve of its departure for Massachusetts, marching about six hundred miles over the wretched roads of North Carolina and sailing over two thou- sand miles in crowded transports, and having enough shot and shell hurled at them to have killed every one of them a dozen times over had they but hit the intended mark.

Until July 16, 1864, the Fifth remained a part of the Massachusetts Militia, but did not see any active service. Upon this day the regiment was again mustered into the service for one hundred days and ordered to the defences at Baltimore. Company "I" at this time was commanded by Captain A. A. Powers, Lieutenants Frost and Luther H. Farnsworth. Major Worcester in the mean time had advanced a peg to the position of lieutenant-colonel. Arriving at their destination, the regiment was distributed among the different forts in that vicinity, and occupied the time in doing guard duty, an ardnous, but by no means exciting or, under the circumstances, dangerous occu- pation.

At the expiration of this term of service, the regi- ment was again mustered ont of the service of the United States, and remained a part of the State's mili- tary force.

Company "I," at first named the " Banks Gnards," after the town was incorporated, in 1869, changed its name to that of the Hudson Light Guard, and as such was known during its connection with the State force. The company performed good service in November, 1872, at the time of the Boston fire, doing guard duty two days and a night, and under its different com- manders enjoyed varying degrees of prosperity until it was disbanded by a general order from the Adjutant- General's office, in September, 1876, when, in common with others, it was done away with in order to reduce the size of the State's militia.

For the sake of future reference, a list is appended of the names of those who held commission in the company or rose from its ranks to higher offices in the regiment :

Lieutenant-Colenel, William E. C. Worcester ; Majors, William E. C. Worcester, Andrew A. Powers ; Captains, William E. C. Worcester, Charles B. Newton, Aodrew A. Powers, Angustus S. Trowbridge, Joseph W. Pedrick, S. Henry Moore, John F. Dolan, Edward L. Powers ; First Lieutenants, Charles B. Newton, Andrew A. Powers, William S. Frost, Augustus S. Trowbridge, Joseph W. 'Pedrick, David B. Whitcomb, Cal- via H. Carter, William H. Trow, Edward L. Powers, Thomas O'Don- nell ; Second Lieutenants, Luther H. Farnsworth, S. Henry Moore, William S. Frost, David B. Whitcomb, Calvin H. Carter, Wm. H. Trow, John F. Dolan, Fred O. Welsh, Thomas O'Donnell, Fraok E. Emery.

In 1887 the State force of militia was again increas- ed, and after an interim of eleven years Hudson again became represented in the Fifth Regiment. On November 16th of that year a new company was

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mustered in and lettered " M," and has been com- manded during the time since by Captain Adelbert M. Mossman, First Lieutenant William H. Brigliam, and Second Lieutenant Frank K. Freeborn. The new company has assumed the old name of Hudson Light Guard, and has had an honorable and success- ful record since its formation.

GRAND ARMY POST .- IIaving recounted, all too briefly, the record of Hudson's soldiers during the Rebellion, it is but natural that we would turn next to an account of their doings since that time.

In April, 1866, a movement was set on foot to or- ganize an association of the citizens of Hudson who had served their country in the army or navy for the purpose set forth in their declaration of principles : " Of perpetuating the pleasant relations heretofore ex- isting between us as comrades in arms; to assist each other and those of our fellow-citizens who may here- after return from the hardships of the service to pro- cure employment ; also to be instrumental in assisting the disabled and the families of those who have fallen ; to place on record for the use of posterity any facts that may come to our knowledge concerning the patriotic service of any of our comrades during the late Rebellion."

This movement met with a general response from the soldiers of Hudson, and, on the 1st day of June the by-laws of the " Hudson Army and Navy Union " were adopted, and the new society started on its mis- sion under the most favorable auspices. The " Union', was not intended to be in any sense a machine, nor was it secret, the meetings being open and any ques- tion was considered in order and debatable, and many who could not become members attended the meet- ings. For a short time the Union was successful, but before long two disturbing elements arose to cloud the brightness of its members' dreams. There were too few offices to go around, and too much politics for peace, so that the longer the Union lived the less union existed among the members. In the following spring, having learned that an effort was being made to unite the soldiers and sailors of the Union army and navy in a grand National brotherhood, James S. Bailey succeeded in obtaining a copy of the constitution, and consulted with many of the more prominent veterans with a view to securing a charter.

It was decided that this would be a great improve- ment over the existing order of things, and on March 16, 1867, a committee of ten was appointed to apply for a charter, and upon the 10th day of April follow- ing Post No. 9 of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized with a charter membership of fifty- nine.

When it came to choosing a name, the admirers and advocates of the name Reno were in the majority, and succeeded in adopting this as the name of the new post- During its existence the post has gathered together about eight thousand dollars by means of their in- dividual and collective efforts, and has disbursed

almost all of it in relieving the necessities of veterans and their families. As time has gone on, the member- ship has increased, and the interest increases rather than abates as death gradually thins the ranks of those remaining.

On February 12, 1872, a Ladies' Relief Society was organized by the wives of the members of the post, and has been a valuable adjunct to it, its members keeping alive the social relations always so pleasant among comrades, and in times of sickness and distress ren- dering those tender offices which women alone can do.

Thus far we have been treating of Hudson and its citizens in its corporate capacity and tracing its growth and prosperity in a collective capacity. Let us now turn to a consideration of the industries which have been the mainstay of its people and made pos- sible the achievements which have been described.

MANUFACTORIES .- While Hudson remained a mere farming community there was little growth, little cen- tralizing ; a grist and saw-mill, a general store and a tavern near the mills sufficed ; but when industries demanding skilled labor were introduced, the land near the store and the mills and the tavern began to be dotted with buildings. The first little attempts at manufacturing were made nearly a century ago by Joel Cranston, who tried wool-carding and cloth-dress- ing. In 1810 Phineas Sawyer started a small cotton- factory, but only yarn was produced. The weaving was done in families. Some satinet was also made. A distillery for cider brandy was put in operation by Cranston & Felton on the spot where Tripp's box fac- tory now stands. A little tanning was done, and also a little saddle and harness-making. None of these grew to any proportions, but they were the pioneers of the great manufacturing industries of to-day, draw- ing settlers to the village and beginning that perma- nency which creates large business centres.

Of the great staple industry of Hudson to-day, shoe manufacturing, the beginning seems to have been made by a Peter Wood. He cannot properly be styled a manufacturer; he was, perhaps, a cobbler, who would make a pair of shoes when ordered. In 1816 Daniel Stratton, grandfather of Town Clerk Daniel W. Stratton, began manufacturing shoes in a small way. In 1821-22 he built a small factory on the spot now occupied by the house of Mrs. Alfa L. Small. Here he employed four hands, and carted his goods to Providence rather than to Boston. In a few years he moved to the farm now known as the Stratton Farm. His son, Lorenzo, bought the old place ; but, instead of doing business for himself, took shoes from a Stoneham manufacturer. By him the old house recently known as the Waldo Brigham place was built, and work was carried on in the harn.

The factory built by Daniel Stratton was moved across the road, and now forms the northern portion of Martin Reynolds' house. The property of Lorenzo Stratton passed successively into the hands of William Brigham, Solomon Brigham and Francis Brigham.

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It was at this place that Mr. Brigham learned his trade, and that he first began that business that has since endured, and put the making of shoes upon a permanent foundation in the town. He soon moved to a small factory which stood just back of William Chase's Block; then to the spot now occupied by Holden's Block ; then to the building now occupied by C. L. Woodbury. The business thus created has been carried on continuously ever since under the firm- name of F. Brigham & Co. This firm has had a pros- perons career. It weathered the financial crises of 1837, 1847 and 1857 and the seventies. It has made over twenty millions pairs of shoes, is one of the oldest firms in the United States, has introduced many im- provements in shoe-making, has graduated some of the successful manufacturers of the town to-day, and has grown from the lap-stone and bristle to the best modern machinery. As it is our pioneer firm, a brief history will not be out of place.

Mr. Brigham's beginning and experience is the oft- repeated story of the beginning and experience of most of the successful men of business in this country. He was cradled in adversity, and, without the patron- age of wealth or helpful friends, had to hew his own way over the rugged paths of life. He was a prac- tical shoemaker, working for two years at the bench, and acquiring in every detail and process the manu- facture of shoes. At twenty-one years of age he was running his own business, employing only a few hands. In those early days of the shoe industry the men worked in " teams " of four. One would fit the stock and last, one would peg, another put on the heels, aud the fourth would trim them and take off. The sole and inner sole were rounded on by hand to the last. The laster waxed his own thread and se- cured the ends to the bristle. An old ledger of 1847- 8-9, contains many entries like the following : " Henry Priest, Cr., by work in Hapgood's team, $14.95." " Jonathan F. Wheeler, Cr., By 140 pairs, $11.90."

The lap-stone was an adjunct of every bench, and the construction of the shoe was as primitive as the shoe itself. The style seldom changed, and three pairs of "strap cacks " were sold for one dollar. In those days the work was given out in large quantities, and the stock was joined into shoes in small shops scattered through all the surrounding villages. In the private houses over a radius of many miles, " Han- nah sat at the window hinding shoes," as Elias Howe had not then mastered the problem that has since produced a revolution in the stitching of the world. This firm used the first sewing-machine in town in 1855; it was made by Grover & Baker, being re- garded as one of the wonders of the world at the time, and was run by Mrs. Persis E. Brigham. A sole-cutting machine was used in the early part of the forties. F. Brigham & Co. introduced the pegging machine in 1857, and were the first to run it success- fully in this country. They added the binding ma- chine to their labor-saving machinery as early as

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 62

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