History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 108

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 108

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Solomon Robinson. 1845

Wm. H. Bigelow.

1880. Horace I. Joslio.

Emery Sibley. B. A. Corbin.

Emery Sihley.

373

WEBSTER.

1864 .- Charles llutcbins, of Douglas. 1865 .- Prince Brackett, of Webster. 1866 .- Gardaer Chase, of Douglas.

Under the census of 1865 a new apportionment was made, and the Sixteenth Worcester District, includ- ing Douglas, Webster, Dudley, Oxford, Sutton and Millbury, was entitled to three Representatives, as follows :

1867 .- Benjamin A. Corbin, of Webster ; Solomon D. King, of Sutton ; Henry E. Rockwell, of Millbury.

1868 .- Lameat B. Corbin, of Oxford ; Silas Dunton, of Millbury ; Wm. D. Jones, of Douglas.

1869 .- George J. Sanger, of Webster ; James M. Cuoiff, of Sutton ; Marcus M. Luther, of Douglas.

1870 .- Charles H. Page, of Webster; John Rhodes, of Millbury ; Moses W. McIntire, of Oxford.

1871 .- Wm. L. Davis, of Dudley ; Edwin H. Hutchinson, of Sutton ; Thomas H. Meek, of Douglas.

1872 .- Horace I. Joslin, of Webster ; E. Harris Howland, of Oxford ; Irving B. Sayles, of Millbury.

1873 .- C. D. Morse, of Millbury ; Andrew J. Waters, of Webster ; Samuel W. Heath, of Douglas.

1874 .- James B. Williams, of Douglas ; George Hodges, of Oxford ; Wat. Abbott, of Sutton.

1875 .- M. M. Hovey, of Sutton; C. W. Duggan, of Millbury ; E. F. Smith, of Dudley.

1876 .- Frederick T. Chase, of Webster ; Francis Bugbee, of Webster; George F. Daniels, of Oxford.

Under the apportionment based on the census of 1875, Webster, Douglas and Dudley formed the Fourteenth Worcester District, with one Representa- tive, as follows :

1877 .- Francis M. Draper, of Douglas.

1878 .- Josiah Perry, of Dudley.

1879 .- Robert Ilumphrey, of Webster.

1880 .- Wm. W. Brown, of Douglas.

1881 .- John J. Love, of Webster.

1882 .- Edwin Moore, of Douglas.

1883 .- Butler Bates, of Webster.

1884 .- George A. Gleason, of Donglas.

1885 .- Pbilip Smith, of Dudley.

1886 .- Julius P. Freeman, of Webster.

Under the apportionment hased on the census of 1885, Webster, Oxford and Auburn constituted the Eighth Worcester District, with one Representative, as follows :

1987 .- IIenry Brandes, of Webster.

1888 .- John J. Allen, of Auburn.

Besides the Slater factories there are only a few other manufacturing industries worthy of mention : A. J. Bates & Co. employ about one hundred and fifty hands, and B. A. Corbin & Son about three hun- dred and fifty hands in the manufacture of men's and youths' shoes. The Webster Gas Light Company be- gan business in 1865, and is controlled by the Stevens Linen Works, in Dudley, on the other side of French River. Among the institutions may be mentioned the First National Bank of Webster, incorporated in 1875, and having a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. Its present officers are Chester C. Corbin, president ; E. L. Spauldiog, cashier ; and C. C. Cor- bin, Cyrus Spaulding, Josiah Perry, J. M. Morse, L. R. Eddy, George Tracy and E. L. Spaulding, di- rectors. The Webster Five Cent Savings Bank was

incorporated in 1868, and had, at the time of its last report, deposits of $683,091, undivided earnings of $7,118.16, and a guaranty fund of $11,336.26. Its of- ficers are Cyrus Spaulding, president ; Waldo John- son, John F. Hinds, Darius Wood and E. P. Morton, vice-presidents ; F. A. Stockwell, treasurer; and L. E. Pattison, secretary. In 1869 the Webster Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated, but was never organized.

The following societies are now in existence in the town: The Sovereigns of Industry; the Webster Lodge, A. F. and A. M. ; the Webster Lodge, No. 56, A. O. U. W .; the Sigel Lodge, No.93, D. O. H .; the Benjamin Franklin Council, No. 333; the Loyal Or- der of Tonti, No. 107; the Maanexit Lodge, No. 117, I. O. O. F. ; the Nathaniel Lyon Post, G. A. R. ; the Assembly, No. 4060, K. of L. ; the Royal Arcanum Relief Association ; the St. Jean Baptiste Society ; La Ligue Du Cœur de Jesus ; the Gesangverein Deut- schen Liederkranz; the Deutsch Dramatischen Verein ; the Deutsche Liederkranz Band ; the Turn- verein Vorwärts; the Deutschen Theater Club ; the St. Patrick's Temperance Society ; the Sodality of the Sacred Heart ; and the Ladies of St. Ann.

The post-office, now located at the main village of Webster, was located at the time of the incorporation of the town and had been for some years at the east village and was called the South Oxford office, hut, in 1841, nine years after the incorporation, was moved to its present location. The main, or depot village, as it is called, shows many signs of prosperity. It is the chief business section, and there are located the banks, the town offices, the apparatus of the Fire De- partment, the hotel, and most of the stores. It lies on the Southbridge section of the Boston and New England Railroad, and also on the Norwich and Worcester Railroad, thus having easy access to Bos- ton by two routes, and also to Providence, Worcester and New York. It not only enjoys its owu local trade but the people in the settlements at Jericho, Marino Village, Chaseville and Perryville, in Dudley, across the river, not inconsiderable in numbers, patronize its shops, its shows, its various societies, and attend its churches. The population of the town, which, at the time of its incorporation, was 1168, increased to 1403 in 1840, to 2371 in 1850, to 2912 in 1860, to 4763 in 1870, to 5696 in 1880, and to 6220 in 1885. The valuation, which was $277,118 at the time of the in- corporation, increased to $2,466,428 in 1885.

According to the census of 1885, the agricultural products and valuations were as follows :

Animal products

$3,720

Dairy products 22,059

Food products 730

Green-house products.

1,200

Hut-house products. 445

Poultry products. 3,332

Wood

10,163

Cereale

2,225

Fruits, berries and outa

3,058

Hay, straw and fodder

14,532

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Meats and game

2,476

Vegetables. 6,089

Land.

144,828

Buildings.

92,145

Machines and implements. 7,642

Domestic animals

16,985

Fruit-trees and vines.

9,763

Two newspapers are published in Webster, The Webster Times and the Worcester County News, hoth published weekly in Webster and both are enter- prising and successful journals. The former is edited by John Cort and the latter hy John T. Miniter, and a job printing office is connected with each.

In concluding this sketch the following list of the present town officers is added: Selectmen, Charles A. Hodges, Patrick Condren, Austen C. Burnett; Town Clerk, Edward P. Carter; Treasurer, Oscar Shumway ; Overseers of the Poor-for three years, John Flint; for two years, Elisha N. Bigelow ; for one year, John F. Hinds; Assessors, William F. Gale, William Shanley, Monroe H. Corbin, Michael Scholfield, Russell B. Putnam; Auditors, James Maguire, James Cocks, John B. McQuaid ; School Committee-for three years, Edward P. Carter ; for two years, Henry F. Thompson ; for one year, Charles B. Kendrick ; Constables, Thomas Farrell, William Hanley, Joseph C. Spaulding, Patrick H. Grimley, O. W. Emerson, John J. Dwyer, Uzziel Gleason, Joseph P. Love, Daniel G. Blackman, Solomon Shumway, George D. Adams, John Sullivan, Collector, Charles E. Brown ; Deputy Sheriff, Solomon Shumway.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

FREDERICK D. BROWN, M.D.

Frederick Davis Brown, M.D., was born in the town of Sutton, Mass., on September 5, 1824. His early life was in many respects similar to that of most coun- try boys of the period, working on the farm in the summer and attending the district school in the winter. But, unlike many of his boyhood associates, he was not "hound out" for a term of years to the farmer or the blacksmith, but was given the opportunity of pur- suing such course of study as best suited his inclination. He chose that of medicine, and at the age of seven- teen entered the office of Dr. George Rawson, of Grafton. Reading with a country doctor of that time meant chiefly the care of the doctor's horse, doing the numerous chores about the premises, assisting his in- structor in gathering and drying the herbs and simples so commonly used in those days, and in preparing the powders and pills, and on rare occasions helping the doctor in some minor surgical operations.

After two years of such training he removed to Worcester and entered the Baptist Academy. He did not, however, abandon his medical studies, but

continued them with Dr. Samuel Green, until the doctor accepted the position of medical missionary to Ceylon, tendered him by the Board of Foreign Mis- sions. Dr. Green placed his young charge in the care of his relative, Dr. John Green, at that time the most eminent physician in the county. After two years' reading with this learned preceptor he continued his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and at Castleton (Vt.) Medical College, where he was gradu- ated in 1849. He served for about a year at the Bloomingdale Asylum Hospital in New York, and in 1850 located in Wehster, when he at once entered upon an active professional career, which he followed with unremitting energy for thirty-six years.

He was widely known throughout the southern part of Worcester County as a most devoted and suc- cessful practitioner, gaining the confidence and es- teem of all with whom he came in contact. He was a zealous member of the Massachusetts and the Wor- cester District Medical Societies, at one time being president of the latter. His close application to his practice did not debar him from taking an active part in the affairs of his town, and he identified him- self with many of its political and social organiza- tions. For nearly twenty consecutive years he was elected to the office of School Committee. In 1864-65 he served on the Board of Selectmen; in 1863 he represented his district in the Legislature, and in 1868 was sent to the State Senate.

During his term of service in the latter body he was instrumental in securing the incorporation of the Webster Five Cent Savings Bank, of which he was president at the time of his death. To him work was never a hardship, hut a pleasure; its perplexities only added to his zeal and stimulated his ambition. His ready willingness to do what was asked of him, and the liberality of his views, made him the coun- selor of many.

Probably no citizen devoted more time and work for the welfare of his town than he, or with less per- sonal interests.

His death, sudden and unexpected, occurred No- vember 8, 1886.

CHAPTER LIV.

MENDON.

PIONEER LIFE.

BY G. B. WILLIAMS.

Mendon the Mother of Towns-Comparative Antiquity-Number of Towns once a Part of Mendon -The First Movement for a New Plantation-The Deed from the Indians- Division of Land-Names of Proprietors-The First Map-Incorporation-The Town in 1675-The Nipmucks' Attack- The Settlers' Return.

ON the 15th day of May, 1867, in a small town in the southeastern part of Worcester County, "a vast assemblage," as one of those addressing it justly de-

A. D. Brown

375

MENDON.

scribed it, were gathered together. Orators, poets, distinguished jurists, clergymen, statesmen and men of military renown were present, or regretfully sent excuses for their absence. The inhabitants of Mil- ford, Blackstone, Uxbridge, Northbridge, Upton and Bellingham, with hundreds from more remote parts of the State and nation, had met to celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of what they lovingly called the "Mother Town of Mendon." The distinguished speakers seemed to feel it a high privilege to recount the story of the ancient town, and found the day far too short for their purpose. Several of them had names borne by six generations of Mendon's inhabitants now passed away, as well as by many of its present citizens, and they felt they were telling the story of their ancestors as they nar- rated how the Aldrichs, Staples, Holbrooks, Thomp- sons, Chapins, Tafts and others painfully made their way from the coast to this fertile, hilly region, estab- lished homes, church, schools, and laid the foundation for all the abounding life of these busy towns of to-day.

Mendon, next to Lancaster in antiquity among Worcester County towns, was and is, well deserving of notice historically. Eighteen of these are at least a hundred years younger than she. The town of Worcester was incorporated sixteen years later than Mendon, and she is more than forty-five years older than any other town in the county, except Lancaster, and sixty-three years older than the county itself.

Her original territory is now held by eight Massa- chusetts towns, but she still retains the spot first settled on her ancient possessions, and her people believe it one of the most fertile and beautiful of all.

In 1659, eight years before Mendon's incorporation, the records of the General Court of Massachusetts show that the people of Braintree and Weymouth had expressed a desire for " a new plantation ;" " whereupon the Court judgeth it meet to grant them liberty to seek out a place and present their desires, with the names of such persons as will carry out the work, unto the next session of this Court." Accord- ingly, in 1660, upon a petition by seven of the in- habitants of Braintree, a committee of five was em- powered to accept persons for the settlement, which was to be eight miles square, and four commissioners were authorized " to make a valid act there." It was nearly two years later, May 22, 1662, before the com- missioners reported their rules and regulations for the " Plantation at Netmocke," with the names of persons then accepted, viz .: thirteen of Braintree and ten of Weymouth. Moses Payne and Peter Brackett had already secured a deed of Netmocke from the Indians and a double allowance of land for themselves. They never settled there, but, after the incorporation, trans- ferred their rights under the deed to the town by a writing dated December 9, 1669.

This deed was executed by five Indians designated

both by Christian and Indian names, and the land was described as eight miles square, lying about fifteen miles from Medfield, "and is to lye to the south or southward of the Parth to Nipmugg Great Pond and five milles on the other side of that Parth north or northwards." The deed has always been supposed destroyed when the town was burned by the Indians in 1676.

By the committee's rules each settler was to have for "one hundred pounds estate " thirty acres " to the home lot," ten of meadow, five of swamp and one hundred and five for " greate lott." This was assigned by the committee, but later divisions, some eleven in all, proportioned to the amount of land first held, were made by lot and made up the " Doubling Lot."

Before July 7, 1663, John Moore, George Aldrich, Matthias Puffer, John Woodland, Ferdinando Thay- er, Daniel Lovett and John Harber had settled at Nipmugg, Netmocke or Squinshepauge, for all these names written variously by different authors, were now applied to the plantation, probably the last most generally. Before March 24, 1664, John Gurney, Walter Cook, Joseph White, John Thompson, Abra- ham Staples, Joseph Aldridge, John Jepson and John Rockett had settled, making fifteen families in all. There are no means of knowing what took place from 1664 to 1667. Joshua Fisher's map was filed in April, 1667, in the General Court, a copy of which, with title and " explanation," are printed below.

SURVEY OF THE PLANTATION (1667).

The desire of the inhabitants to this Honered Courte is that they would accept of this Retourne of their Plott of theire Plantation wich is layd according to their Grainte of eight Miles square by Joshua ffisher.

Country land, South line 8 miles.

This line 7 miles and 1/2.

THE A A A TOWNE 1

CHARLES RIVER

Country land, West line 8 miles and 1/2.

The line between Ded- ham and Quinshepauge Running North and 8 South, 4 miles and 40 Rods.

Country land, North line,

4 miles want. 40 Rods. Parcel of Meadow.

An explanation of this Plott, being the Township of Squinshapauke ad it wae layd out according to the Grant of the Generall Courte by me, Joshua ffisher, Aprill 1667.

From A to B is bounded by Charles River, a white oake beinge marked on the south side of Charles River at A, a Black oake on the north side of Charles River at B, and a line of marked trees and heapea of stones to C, from C to D a line of marked trees and heapes of stones, to C, from C to D a line of marked trees and heapes of stones, and soe from D to E and from E to F, a line from F to A of Marked Trees ; And from A to B ie one mile Runninge according to the River East and West, from

376

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

B to C is fower Miles wantinge forty Rodd, Runninge from B North, from C to D eight miles and halfe west, from D to E eight miles South, from E to F seven miles and half East, from F to A ffower Milles and 40 Rods.

At O is a parcell of Meadow that the Towne Petitioned for of about thirty Acors by estimation upon the North line from Charles River. Thie Courte Approves of this Plott as it is Returned.

as attest,

Enw. RAWSON, Secrty-

The incorporation of the town of Mendon followed May 15, 1667. The name undoubtedly was taken from Mendham, the name of an ancient English town, and years after the incorporation the name Mendham was applied to Mendon in military reports and in various records. The Indian titles seem to have been seldom used later than 1667.

The town clerk of the new town, Colonel William Crowne, in the preamble to his records, sets forth the title of the inhabitants as based on the Indian deed as well as on the authority of the " Honoured Generalle Courte," and says the court had "adorned " the town "wth severall large Priviledges." It was indeed a goodly land. Meadows, springs, brooks, rivers and noble forests abounded. The Blackstone River, entering its northwest corner, crossed to its southeastern portion, now in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The West River, the Mumford, with many smaller tributaries of the Blackstone, were largely or wholly within its limits, and the Charles crossed its eastern portion. High hills with commanding prospects-Wigwam, Misquoe, Calebs, Magormiscock, Goat Hill and others-with the numerous meadows, upon whose grassy products the early settlers greatly relied, added their charms to the scene two hundred and twenty-one years ago. All was peace and hope. The records of 1667 and years following to 1675 are filled with interesting incidents of the settlers' pioneer life, so soon to be broken up by the Indian's torch and tomahawk.

The minister, Rev. John Rayner, had been secured, the meeting-house and parsonage built, land set off for the use of the ministry and for school purposes, roads had been laid out, some of them ten rods wide, pro- visions made for exterminating wolves, for establish- ing the town's boundaries, for compelling observance of the Lord's day, and the performance by each man of his share of the public works, for punishing the refractory, for procuring more meadow land with which, in their view, they were as yet but " meanly provided," and everything needful for securing Chris- tian homes in an orderly, God-fearing community. In 1672 the fifteen families of five years before had be- come thirty-four, and in the list of proprietors receiv- ing swamp lands at that date are found the names Hayward, Holbrook, Read, Bartlett, Tiler, Gurney, Juell (Jewell), Sprague and Peck. A few others came before 1675, but several best-known in the later his- tory of the town not much, if any, earlier than 1680, among them, Josiah Chapin and the brothers Robert and Matthew Taft.

July 14, 1675, King Philip's War commenced with an attack on this peaceful settlement, in which four

or five persons were slain. Later the Indians killed Matthias Puffer's wife and child, possibly others. Hos- tilities had been dreaded hy the colonial authorities for some days preceding and scouting-parties ordered out. Mendon was located in the midst of the country of the Nipmuck Indians, and from the beginning had taken special precautions to secure friendly relations with them.

The labors of the apostle Eliot had been untiring, and bands of praying Indians had been organized at Wac- antuck (now Uxbridge), Hassanamisco (Grafton) and elsewhere. One indication of Eliot's influence is probably seen in the Indians' signatures to the Men- don deed by such names as William, John and Jacob, to which signatures, indeed, the Eliots, senior and junior, are witnesses.

In 1668 the Nipmucks in the vicinity of Mendon and Marlborough had executed a formal submission in writing to the government of the colony, in which is found a solemn promise to obey God and do Chris- tian duty. After the slaughter in July, the settlers exerted themselves to secure the removal of the Grafton Indians, with their weapons and supplies, to Mendon. The effort failed. The records show colo- nial soldiers attacking the Nipmucks at Grafton, in November, 1675. The Indians soon after abandoned Grafton, or Hassanamisco, and, doubtless with the Nipmucks generally, aided King Philip and the Nar- ragansetts against the English. Immediately after the first attack, of which Cotton Mather is quoted as saying, "Blood was never shed in Massachusetts colony in a way of hostility before this day," many Mendon settlers fled. By November, we are told in military reports, those remaining had been "drawn into two houses." A fortified garrison had been es- tablished, from which raids upon the Indians were made. The Colonial Council, November 2, 1675, ordered "that the people of Mendon should not re- move from the place without leave, and that those who had done so should immediately return ; " but neither the presence of soldiers, nor the promises, orders nor threats of colonial authority, proved suffi- cient to overcome the dread of the Indians, and, prob- ably before Christmas, 1675, the town was com- pletely abandoned. During that winter the enemy burned all the buildings. The town records, though all preserved, so far as we know, make no mention of the war, but it is evident, from records of births, that soon after King Philip's death, in August, 1676, some of the fugitives returned, probably not, however, till the Nipmucks had at Boston again submitted formally to the English, and by their own hands, under colo- nial authority, executed Mattoonas, the Nipmuck leader of the July attack. We know that at least twenty out of the thirty-eight escaping families had returned to Mendon at the beginning of 1680.

377

MENDON.

CHAPTER LV. MENDON-(Continued.)

TERRITORIAL AND POLITICAL CHANGES.

The Town's Poverty After the War-Claims of Rhode Island Territory-The " North Purchase "-Annexation of "The Farms "-Towns Claiming to be " Children of Mendon "-Mendon to-day.

FOR several years after 1680, Mendon was con- sidered as a frontier town, and its poverty, even in comparison with other Massachusetts towns of the time, was notorious. The proprietors of nearly half its lands never returned after the war, and delayed or refused payment of taxes levied on their property. Repeated petitions were sent to the General Court asking for compulsory action against these absent owners, and for relief from colony taxes. Most of the petitions were granted. In spite of this poverty, within ten years from the close of the war about fifty families had settled in Mendon, and began to feel crowded and seek additional territory. The southern boundary was not well defined, and was later a subject of much controversy, which continued till 1725. The second map, made by Sergeant Ellis in 1683, and numerous records, show that Mendon claimed much of what was finally yielded to Rhode Island, including the " Falls," now in Woonsocket, and what is known as "The Branch." In 1692 about three square miles lying on the northern boundary, now in Milford, and still known as the "North Purchase," were bought from the Indians. In 1685 Edward Rawson, secretary of the colony, had become owner of about two thou- sand acres, now wholly or partly in Bellingham. He held title by deed from the Indians as well as a grant from the colony. Till 1710 he escaped taxation by town or county, paying tribute to the colonial treasury only, but in that year the Farm, as the tract was then called, was annexed to Mendon.

In 1719 thirteen families occupying this farm, or "The Farms," four dwelling on other land in Mendon, and twenty-three families of Dedham, asked the General Court for incorporation as a town. Their petition was granted, November 27, 1719, against the protest of Mendon, however, and Bellingham became a town.

As early as 1720 the settlers in Waentuck, or Wacantuck (now Uxbridge), agitated the question of separation. Their efforts were renewed in 1722, voted on and rejected in 1726, but Uxbridge was neverthe- less incorporated in 1727, taking about four miles in width from the western portion of Mendon.

Upton, at its incorporation in February, 1735, took a small part of the remaining territory and the same year the inhabitants of what is now Milford and Hopedale sought separate town existence. All these attempts were resisted by dwellers in the original set- tlement, and in the last case successfully for about forty-five years, or till April 11, 1780, when Milford's

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 108

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576