USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Orange > History of North Orange, Massachusetts : including leading events from the first organization of Orange, 1781-1924. > Part 3
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FOURTEEN
1783, December 16, Moses Goddard, Benjamin Mayo and Nathan Cady were chosen a committee to make arrangements to obtain a training field and the District raised the sum of 30 pounds to defray charges.
Roads and Bridges
Through all the earliest years the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges imposed a heavy burden upon the settlers. At first the old trails, not more than a foot in width, were used; probably the first roads were only a widening of these Indian trails or of paths leading from house to house, for in the records we often read of a road to be laid out "as the Path is now trod"; or of a "Bridle Road to pass by gates and bars" across certain lands. These roads are deseribed and located simply by naming the owners of the lands across which they pass. For instance at the legal meeting, March 15, 1784, an Article called for a road from Warwick line near the top of Fall Hill across the land of Elijah Ball, Joseph Metcalf, (later Red Stock Farm): Saville Metcalf, (John Moore farm); David Legg, Samuel Aldrich and Thomas Lord to the road near Metcalf's Mills, (Graham's Mills at a later period.) No measurements are given, but a stake and stones, "a white pine tree marked," "a few marked hemlocks," "a piece of fence," "a barn" or "a house" designates some limit of the road. Stake and stones, pine and hemlock, house and barn, disappeared long ago, even the names of many of the land-owners are lost to memory so these old abandoned roads and bridle paths could not be traced now even if in a century and a half, their location had not varied.
In swampy land small trees were felled and laid side by side, across the road- way, thus making a corduroy road.
In 1795 Mr. Forrester agreed in open meeting to erect bars and let people pass through his pasture in the winter season.
Bridges succeeded fords and in 1785 it is recorded that "Miller's River, the southern boundary of Orange is covered by a chargeable bridge built and main- tained by Orange and New Salem." The rebuilding of Tully bridge was discussed at a District meeting in 1785 and later in the same year it was voted to petition the General Court for redress for the large bridge in Athol coming to Orange.
Orange was naturally interested in the proposed laying out and making of a road from Northfield through Warwick and Orange to Athol, by the 5th Massa- chusetts Turnpike Corporation and the month after the Act of Incorporation passed the Legislature, "the corporators met at the house of Oliver Chapin, Innholdler, Orange, 1802, June 2". "Voted that the Corporation will keep and maintain a dry bridge for Levi Cheney* in Orange where it now is, sufficient for cattle to pass, it being in Consideration of his having given the Land for said Road."
This road was perhaps the most useful of all the early roads, but the toll gates. source of many petitions, were disliked by the people as will be seen by the following sketch:
The Toll Gate at North Orange
Prepared by Edwin Gordon Lawrence and Mrs. Walter E. Chase in collabora - tion for the 21st Annual Reunion in North Orange, August 12, 1920.
It is not so many years ago when it was necessary for the traveler along the highways to pay toll for the right to pass, either on horseback or in vehicle, over the roads throughout the United States. Toll is a sum of money paid for the use and enjoyment of any privilege, be it grinding of corn, the taking of ice from ponds, or the use of highways.
* Levi Cheney's farm is now the Nylander farm.
My particular theme today deals with the payment of tolls and toll gates, particularly the one that stood on the main street of our village before the present town of Orange came into existence and when the present North Orange was known as Orange. It stood across the road a short distance below the old house that is pictured on our invitations this year.
On March 1, 1799, the act of the General Court establishing a corporation by the name of the Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike Corporation was approved by his Excellency Increase Sumner, governor of the Commonwealth of Mass- achusetts, and became a law. The corporation thus created consisted of Tim- othy Dutton, Elisha Hunt, John Barrett, Edward Houghton, Solomon Vose, Caleb Mayo, David Mayo, Oliver Chapin, Josiah Proctor, Oliver Estey, Samuel Sweetser, Hiram Newell, Ebenezer Jones, Jonas Kendall, Phillip Sweetser, Elisha Ball, Caleb Alvoird, Jonathan Leavitt, Richard E. Newcomb, Solomon Smead, Jerome Ripley, Ezekiel Bascom, Daniel Wells, Calvin Munn and Thomas W. Dickinson.
These incorporators were empowered to lay out and make a turnpike road from Captain Elisha Hunt's in Northfield through Warwick, Orange, Athol, Gerry (now Phillipston), Templeton and Gardner to Westminster meeting house, and from there to Jonas Kendall's tavern in Leominster; and also from Calvin Mann's tavern in Greenfield through Montague and up Millers river so as to intersect the road in Athol. It was provided that the road should not be less than four rods wide and the path to be traveled in, not less than eighteen feet wide in any place. The corporation was empowered to ereet five turnpike gates, one gate near David Mayo'stavernin Warwick, one near Samuel Sweetser's tavern in Athol, one near the line between Gardner and Westminster, one near Jonas Kendall's tavern in Leominster and the other where the corporation may decide to place it on the road between Greenfield and Athol. This was at the place then known as Grant (now Erving), also erect any other where the cor- poration decided it was necessary.
The rate of toll was to be as follows: For every coach, phaeton, chariot or other four wheel carriage drawn by two horses, 15 cents, and if drawn by more than two horses an additional sum of four cents for each horse; for every eart or wagon drawn by two oxen or horses, 12 1-2 cents and if drawn by more than two oxen or horses an additional sum of three cents for each ox or horse; for every curricle, which was a two-wheeled, two-horse carriage with a pole, 16e; for every chaise, chair or other carriage drawn by one horse, 12 1-2(; for every man and horse 5e; for every sled or sleigh drawn by two oxen or horses, nine cents; il drawn by more than two oxen or horses an additional sum of three cents for each ox or horse; for every sled or sleigh drawn by one horse Se; for all horses, mules, oxen or neat cattle, let or driven, le each; for all sheep or swine, 3e for one dozen. Thus it will be seen that no provision was made for taxing foot passengers for the use of the highway.
The position of toll-taker was not free from danger, as some persons denied the right of the corporation to tax persons for the use of the highways and at times insisted on passing the barrier without the payment of the customary toll. This led to bodily encounters which sometimes ended with the shedding of blood.
At one period Royal Ward kept the toll gate at Orange and it is said that thereby he gained the enmity of several travelers who were compelled to pay toll before they could pass his gate.
Ezekiel Ellis was also at one time keeper of the Orange toll gate, living where A. K. Turner now owns, but no anecdotes have been handed down regard- ing it, also a Mr. Leroe was one time a toll keeper. I would say at this time that the Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike Corporation gave up their franchise in 1833, having in their treasury just $15.
FIFTEEN
Mills
Saw mills and grist mills were a necessity in every new settlement. On the 1790 map of the town the statement is made that now there are three saw- mills and one fulling mill in the District. The first mills mentioned in the records are Metcalf's mills, Goddard's mills and Woodward's mills. Of the latter we give the proprietors as told by Mr. Hosea S. Ballou at North Orange Reunion, August 10, 1911.
EARLY PROPRIETORS OF WOODWARD'S MILLS
The year 1763 was a notable one for this region. Not only were the French and Indian Wars brought finally to an end by the Treaty of Paris 148 years ago, but it is of local interest to note that on February 17, of that year, the territory lying immediately west and north of this spot, which the Great and General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay had granted in 1735 to Captain Gardner's officers and men of the fated Canada expedition of 1690, was formally incorporated.
GODDARD AND WILLIAMS MILL-BURNED MAY 17. 1924
The following year a young man just out of his teens, a native of Newton, bought a tract of land in the new town of Warwick. The deed was dated Dec- ember 11, 1764. The young man's name was Joseph Woodward. March 22, 1768, Jonathan Woodward sold to one Nathan Fuller his Newton homestead of 27 acres extending down to the Charles river, and on October 10th following, his son, Joseph, conveyed to him lands in the new town of Warwick. What part each took in building the mills we do not certainly know. But "Woodward's Mills" they were called, and in old records reference is often made to theni; yet I do not recall to have met anyone who had definite knowledge, or even a general notion, as to the location here of "Woodward's Mills." Where did the early settlers carry their corn to be ground? And when log huts gave place to frame houses, where was the sawn timber prepared? Evidence points to the mills of Jonathan Woodward, "housewright," located not on Tully brook, at "Blissville," but to the mill later known (but not in my own lifetime) by the various names of Turner & Moses, Cheney's. Brigg's, Wheelock's, Wilbur's, Goodell's, Goddard & Williams', and now owned by Frank Williams; and he occupied the homestead of Jonathan Woodward 1768-1775, in later generations
known as the Foskett, Goodell, Battle and Shaw place. The early Hampshire County Deeds (see Book 2, page 255) and the Probate Records at. Northampton (see vol. 26, page 248) locate the land directly north of the early grant of 400 acres known as "Field's Farm" including lot number 38 in the 2nd division of "Roxbury-Canada" lands, according to the original plot on file in the state archives. Before the hills on either side were denuded of the primeval forests, no doubt the mills had ample water power, for men had not then dared to harness the power of a Niagara.
Jonathan Woodward was chosen selectinan of Warwick as was his son Amos, later of Orange, and as his father and grandfather had been in Newton. In 1777 his estate (including 128 acres, house, barn, shop, sawmill, horses, cattle, ete., and four notes) inventoried L 715:13:9 1-2. (Saturday, May 17, 1924 this mill was destroyed by fire.) At this time the mill was owned by Roger Conant, successor to Williams.
1784, May 3, the District of Orange was summoned for the first time to meet with the town of Warwick to choose a representative to the General Court. Three times during the period of joint representation, men of Orange were chosen to represent Warwick and Orange,-Nathaniel Cheney in 1786 and Oliver Chapin 1797 and '99.
Shays' Rebellion
The peace of 1783 brought joy that was soon overshadowed by the general distress of an impoverished country. During the late war there was no union of states, no supreme authority to levy and collect taxes, therefore, to carry on the war the Continental Congress issued bills of credit. Having once begun the system, nothing could be done but to continue it. As one writer said, "Its cessation meant bankruptcy. Like Pickwick's horse which could be kept on his legs only by keeping him going, the stopping would be disaster and death." With no revenue, Congress could not give effectual value to her paper money and it depreciated greatly for it seemed doubtful if the Government could ever redeem its promises. When the American army was disbanded, the troops were paid in this depreciated currency, but promises to pay were not paying and most of the army notes were sold for a sixth or an eighth of their nominal value, thus depriving the soldiers of much that was their due and which they needed to provide for their families.
Previous to the war each of the thirteen colonies had issued more or less paper money, but in 1774 Massachusetts was out of debt and had prohibited within her bounds the receipt of paper money issued by her sister colonies. The war drew the colonies more closely together and Massachusetts out of sym- pathy for Connecticut and Rhode Island, passed a resolution that their paper currency should "hereafter be received." Not long after, Massachusetts had to issue bills of her own to meet the expenses of the war; for taxation was not looked upon with favor. When one member of Congress insisted upon taxation, he was asked indignantly why he should help tax the people when they could go to the printing office and get a cartload of money. Consequently at the close of the Revolutionary war, Massachusetts faced an accumulation of debts,- her own war-indebtedness, her quota of the public debt and the Continental serip which had come in from the adjoining states and which they should have redeemed.
To maintain her credit and to help the Government, Massachusetts now imposed taxes which increased the heavy burden already carried by the people, but such was the poverty of the times that individuals could pay neither taxes nor honest debts. Conventions were held and there was much clamor for reform.
SIXTEEN
Imprisonment for debt became more frequent and discontent increased until in 1786 it beeame open rebellion, headed by Daniel Shays who had been a Captain in the Continental army. Mobs attempted to prevent the sitting of Courts, first the Court of Common Pleas "by whose action alone debts could be enforced," then " the Superior Justice Court which had cognizance of such acts."
In the whole state there were 12000 or 15000 men ready when the call came, to rise and oppose Federal tyranny as they termed it. Among these rebels were men who had fought in the Continental army,-courageous men, but impetuous, rash, incapable of governing; many were young men with the same idea of liberty as Luke Day, who said to his men, "My boys, you are going to fight for liberty. If you wish to know what liberty is, I will tell you. It is for every man to do what he pleases, and to make other folks do as you please to have them, and to keep folks from serving the devil."
Needing military supplies the insurgents numbering about 2000, under Shays, Day and Parsons, marched to Springfield to take possession of the arsenal with its stores of muskets and eannon. The attack failed and the insurgents withdrew to Ludlow, burning barns and robbing people on the way. Thenee they went through Amherst and Pelham to Petersham where they camped. In the meantime the Government had called out men and placed them under the command of Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. With his force Lincoln reached Springfield the day after Shays left. At 7 o'clock on the night of February 3, 1787, Lincoln and his men left Hadley in pursuit of Shays. The night was wild and stormy,- snow falling, a fierce north wind blowing, but the little army wallowed through the deep snow drifts and covered the 30 miles between Hadley and Petersham in thirteen hours. They surprised Shays' men as they were getting their break- fasts Sunday morning. Shays and 150 of his men were taken prisoners; the others fled helter skelter to get out of Massachusetts as quickly as possible. The rebellion was over. About 300 of Shays' followers fled down the hill to Athol and on through Orange to Warwick until they reached the okl "Goldsbury Tavern" kept by Col. James Goldsbury. Here about half of the men were given food and shelter. Those for whom there was not room were sent to Asa Conant's, about a mile farther north, where they were entertained. Soon after the depart- ure of Shays' men from Warwick, "Col. Goldsbury was arrested by the Govern- ment for High Treason and charged with plotting and conspiring with others to overthrow the Government." Many witnesses were summoned; there are no authentic records of the trial, but testimony showed that while Col. Goldsbury sympathized with the insurgents and treated them kindly, Shays' men paid for everything they had and for all the hay and grain the horses had. The faet that Col. Goldsbury had received full payment for service he as a licensed tavern- keeper was in duty bound to give, gained his acquittal and he was allowed to continue as tavern-keeper .*
History mentions the arrest in Swanzey of "Lieut. Bullard of Orange while enlisting men for Shays and his commitment with two accomplices, to jail in Northampton," but we cannot find that Orange took any active part in Shays' Rebellion. We feel, however, that like other towns of the state, Orange realizing that the rebellion was provoked by poverty and misery, sympathized with the rebels although she did not approve their taking arms against the Government. Citizens of Massachusetts showed this sympathy by their votes in 1787 when Governor Bowdoin lost hisre-election and John Hancock was elected Governor of Massachusetts by four fifths of the votes. The result of the election showed a desire for pardon of the insurgents as the people believed Hancock would show more clemency than would Bowdoin. All Shays' men who gave the oath of
* The story of Col. Goldsbury is given by courtesy of Albee Smith.
allegiance were taken back into citizenship; those leaders who were sentenced to be hung were pardoned after a few months' probation and history tells us that all beeame at once "orderly members of society."
Currency
Difficulties with the eurreney continued until after the adoption of the Federal Constitution. The utter worthlessness of its paper money showed Con- gress the necessity of a governmental coinage. No action was taken, but in financial circles there was much discussion of a monetary system, Jefferson sug- gesting that the money unit of the country be the dollar and all agreeing that the several coins should increase in a decimal ratio. In 1786 both Congress and the General Court of Massachusetts provided for the issue of gold, silver and copper eoins. Congress also passed a law that accounts should be kept in dollars, eents and mills. From that time the old terms,-pounds, shillings, penec and farthings were gradually given up. In April, 1795 the assessors of Orange were instructed to make taxes agreeable to a late aet of the Gernal Court for introducing the dollar and its parts for the money of accounts.
Perambulation
1788, December 26, the town line between Orange and Warwiek was peram- bulated by Levi Cheney and Joseph Metealf for Orange and James Goldsbury and Mark Moore for Warwick. This is the first record found of perambulation of any part of the town lines. It was not until 1861 that the Selectmen of Orange and Warwick met and erected the stone monuments that mark this line from its southern point to Satan's Kingdom, (where Orange, Warwick and Royalston come together on Bliss hill, now called Davis hill.) Perambulation of Bounds required by an old English law, is still followed by both towns and cities of Massachusetts, but in a somewhat different manner. In England, in the days of Queen Elizabeth, the people with the rector, the curate and the substantialmen of the parish, would walk about the bounds, return to the church and offer prayer. In the perambulation the curate would at certain places read the 103rd Psalm, thus admonishing the people to give thanks unto God and the minister would inculcate the following sentence,-Cursed be he who translateth the bounds and doles of his neighbors. The old track was followed whether it led through a newly-cut canal or a newly-built house. One house had an oven that hung over the boundary line. In perambulation a boy was put into this oven to preserve the original boundary lines. Monuments were not erected, but at various points, two or three of the village boys were swung against a stone wall, a tree or a post near-by in order to impress the precise locality upon the memory of the boys and the witnesses.
Division Into Districts
In accordance with an act authorizing towns to divide their territory into districts with defined limits, Orange in 1790-1791 was divided into five districts with the following inhabitants:
First District, (southern part of territory) Abner Morton, Asa Aldrich, Asa Lord, Benjamin Dexter, Daniel Thayer, Daniel Davidson, Levi ('hapin, ; Ebenezer Petty, Elisha White, Joseph Lord, Joseph French, Jonathan Jones, Jonathan Jones, Jr., Samuel Ruggles, Solomon Johnson, Samuel Knowles, Zephaniah Smith and Thomas Stow.
SEVENTEEN
SOME OF THE OLD TIMERS
THE NATHAN WARD PLACE
Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by, The [men [who are good and the men who are bad.
As good and as bad as I,
I would not sit in the scorners' seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban;
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
Sam Walter Foss
THE KENDALL PLACE
EIGHTEEN
THE NEWTON HOUSE
THE BLISS HOUSE.
Second District, the next north. David Legg, David Cheney, Joseph Metcalf, Job Macomber, Jacob French, Joshua Hill, Joel Thayer, Michael Malone, Nathan Cheney, Perez Richmond, Saville Metcalf, Silas Metcalf, Samuel Briggs, Samuel Pitts, William Mills, William Tolly, Zadock Hayward, Job Macomber, Jr.
Third District. Alexander Wheelock, Ebenezer Atwood, Ebenezer Cheney, Ebenezer Foskett, Widow Damon, Elijah Ball, Elisha Johnson, Edward Ward, Hananiah Temple, Hezekiah Coller, John Hill, Jacob Briggs, John Foris- ter, Asa Heminway, John Battle, James Mills, Levi Cheney, Moses Cheney, Jr., Nathaniel Cheney, Nathan Goddard, Jr., Samuel Coller, Timothy Wheelock, Uriah Coller, Uriah Coller, Jr., William Stearns, William Gould, Zina Goodell, John Beals, David Hill.
Fourth District. Abiel Saddler, Benjamin Mayo, Benjamin Woods, David Bullock, Ellis Whitney, Jonathan Goddard, Hezekiah Goddard, Jonathan Ward, John Cutting, Justin Cady. Josiah Ford, Joseph Downe, Jason Harrington, Jonathan Houghton, James Foster, Jeduthan Hoklen, Moses Goddard, Neh- emial Ward, Sherebiah Baker, Silas Marble, Timothy Peters, William Lord. William Lord, Jr., Preston Lord, Solomon Gates, Jonathan Woodward, Oliver- Chapin, Zathan Higgins, Samuel Heminway, Jabez Whitney, Nathaniel Stearns, John Emerson.
2
Fifth District. Ebenezer, Goddard, Martin Stevens, Oliver Estey, Seth Thompson, Asa Albee. John Stow, Nathan Goddard, Phineas Hammond, Seth Woodward, Amos Woodward, John Ellis, Nathan Ellis, Sylvanus Ward, Witt Fuller, Daniel Harrington, Moses Ellis, Seth Ellis, Nathaniel Woodcock, Asa Goddard.
In May, 1795 the selectmen were instructed to purchase for the district a burial cloth that should be kept at Lieut. Atwood's. At the same time it was ordered that "the assessors do abate the 'Friends' proportion of taxes for said cloth." Not until 1810 do we find any record of the purchase of a hearse for the district.
First Methodist Class
1796 is the first date found in connection with a Methodist class comprising Saville Metcalf, class leader, Thomas Lord, Aaron Lord, Leonard Lord, Lydia Lord, Nathan Goddard, David Legg, Abigail Ellis, Lois Hill, Jemima Tolly, Howard Legg and Alice Holden. A collection of one pound and ten shillings is recorded as having been paid to Lorenzo Dow. Rev. Theophilus Packard, Jr. gives the date of organization of the first Methodist church in Orange as about 1794 with Rev. Benjamin P. Hill as preacher, Thomas Coope in 1795, Philip Wager and Lorenzo Dow in 1796. "The class is supposed to have met at private houses until 1822, when, its numbers being much increased, a Meth- odist meeting house was erected at the four corners* west of the farm house now occupied by Henry A. Ward." Meetings were held here until about 1834-5 when the house was abandoned and removed in 1852. Methodist meetings were, however, continued in private houses, school houses and the Union meeting- house built at South Orange in 1837, until 1846. Rev. Thomas W. Gile, prea- cher at that time is the last preacher that we have found for that organization.
Records show that about 1796 a society of "Friends" or "Quakers" existed in the southern part of the district. "They were a community by themselves, had a school and held public worship. How long they continued as a society is not known."
* Called "Old Methodist Corner."
Stories of Old Times
By Mrs. Adin Taylor. August 12, 1915.
This is the beginning of a new year; 15 years have passed into history sinee first these reunion days were kept here on the hilltop. Many fine things have been said, many old stories recalled; much of the earlier history of the town has been given here at these reunions, and still there are many interesting things that could be brought to light, both instructive and amusing. My grandinother was born here in North Orange and I have been asked to repeat some of the stories that she told mne about what happened here more than a hundred years ago. It seems hardly possible that only three generations stand between George Washington and President Wilson, yet one of the things that inade a strong impression on my youthful mind was her recollection of the demonstrations at the time of the death of Washington. She used to say, when the sad news reached us that the beloved Washington was dead, every counten- ance was sad, all business was suspended and people unused to weep, shed tears. Public services were held in the church, which was draped in mourning, and everybody from far and near came to show their respect to his memory. In those days everybody rode horseback or went with ox teams. Often the father would take his wife, sometimes carrying a small child in her arms, on horseback behind him, and ride over the rough roads to church. They were a neighborly hospitable people here, and never refused to help a neighbor, a custom that has continued to the present time. So one man with a large family found an easy, and to him a satisfactory way of spending the winter, leaving his oldest son at home to care for the stock and keep the fires, for it was a serious matter to let the fire go out, when there were no matches and the only way to start it again was to borrow coals of a neighbor. This man would load the remainder of his family, some seven or eight of them, on the ox sled and go visiting, first one neigh- bor then another, spending several days at each place, only going home occasion- ally, as he said, to sco to things. Thus the winter was passed very pleasantly and easily for him. The neighbors thought as he was so fond of a social visit they would see if he enjoyed entertaining others, so one day the women went over, saying they had come to spend the day. The sun kept going higher and higher and finally reached the noon mark on the floor, and still no signs of dinner but about two o'clock the whole family began peeling pumpkin seeds; when they had a teacupfull they pounded them in a mortar and with the addition of a little milk, maple sugar and rye flour, they made a pumpkin seed pie. This with a johnny-cake furnished the whole supper, which they ate by candle light. Then there was another man who stopped in at his neighbor's just as they were ready for supper, which consisted of porridge, brown bread and milk. He was asked to have a bowlful. He said he wasn't much hungry, but he didn't mind if he did. So he was given a bowl of porridge, and after tastinghe remarked, "I mind this seems a little warm, can I have a little milk to cool it." Then after putting in a generous supply of bread and eating a bit he said, "I mind this is a little cool, can I have a little porridge," and the outcome was before he got through he said "I mind" so many times the children went supperless to bed. Then there was the young man who went home with the girls from singing school. They lived upon a hill and there were two ways of getting there, one by the road and the other across lots. About 10 o'clock the father of those girls heard a timid knock at the door, and to his hearty call of, "Come in, come in, the latchstring is out," there entered a young man very much out of breath. The old gentleman, much surprised to see him alone at that hour, and fearing ill news, said: "Well, what is the trouble, David?" "Oh, nothing," and he turned pretty red, "I just came
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