History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 157

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 157

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Mr. Grosvenor's health was poor at best, and he felt unequal to the task of reconciling the factions, and finally asked to be dismissed, which was granted on November 17, 1802.

One proof that the old troubles were the canses of the unhappy condition of things at the time, and prior to the retirement of Mr. Grosvenor, is that they continued to be a disturbed church for several years after he left, and some years came and went before a pastor was again settled over them.

Mr. Grosvenor lived a half mile northeast of the church on the Holden road, where Peter Daw now lives.

In 1808, February 17th, the Rev. Gaius Conant was ordained, and he remained with the society for many years. He lived and died in the square-roofed house now occupied by Deacon Levi Smith, sitnated about half a mile due east from the church. He was dis- missed September 21, 1831, and the same council ordained the Rev. Moses Winch. It was in 1830 that the Congregational Society was organized separately from the town. Mr. Winch's ministry must have been a very quiet one, and without any very disturb- ing circumstances, since very little is said respecting his stay here. He was discharged in 1834, August 28th.

The Rev. James D. Farnsworth succeeded Mr. Winch and was ordained on the 30th of April, 1835,

and continued his labors till May 7, A.D. 1840. He was succeeded by the Rev. William Phipps, A.M., who was ordained November 11, A. D. 1840. Some- thing more than a passing notice should be given this eminently gifted divine. He was for more than twenty-eight years connected with the history of the Congregational Church in this town. He was born in Franklin, this State, on October 31, 1812. He was the son of William and Fannie (Moulton) Phipps, with a line of ancestry traceable back to old England ; to the father of Sir William Phipps, one of the early Governors of Massachusetts Colony. He was a quiet, gentle man, and true, yet did not lack force or brav- ery. He was resolute for worthy ends, and brave in self-denial. He early learned the trade of a cabinet- maker in his father's shop, which trade, in those days, meant quite as much an ability to mannfacture a vio- lin as a bureau, and as an illustration of his mechani- cal genius in this direction, it is told that he made in the days of his apprenticeship a fine bass-viol, with five strings, on which he was wont to play as an accompaniment to his vocal songs. He was a great lover of music and possessed a fine, rich, bass-tone voice, and always sang with an enthusiasm never to be forgotten by sympathetic bearers. He found his trade especially useful to a " country minister " in a small place, and on a small salary, since many of the things he needed he either had to make or go without. His inventive faculty was by no means in- considerable. He constructed models of an improved school-room, a turret wind-mill, a drawing globe, a seed-sower, an upright piano and other useful and fancy things. He was a natural student, ever fond of the companionship of good hooks, and was diligent in everything. He attended Day's Academy in Wrentham; from there he entered Amherst, and grad- nated in the class of 1837. On leaving college he taught, as principal, in the academy at Edgartown, for one year. He married, in 1837, Miss Mary C. Partridge, of Franklin, who still survives at the age of eighty-eight. They had seven children, of whom five are living-two sons and three daughters. The sons, George G. and William H., have taken up the profession of their father. The former is settled at Newton Highlands, while the latter is preaching in Prospect, Conn. Mr. Phipps was first settled in this town. He was an earnest preacher and profoundly interested in all good works. He served for very many years as the head of the School Committee, and his school reports are good reading to-day, and display much thought, earnestly and gracefully expressed. He was wont to do anything he had in hand with "all his might," whether tuning a piano, or raising the finest vegetable in town. Those, whether in the church or out who became intimate, were not the ones to turn from him, for they best realized his largeness of heart and generosity of spirit.

But few of his sermons were ever published, barring a few Thankgiving discourses, fugitive pieces in var-

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ious newspapers and a number of musical composi- tions.

Of the latter, it was as easy for him to write the poetical stanzas as the melodies that floated them. Had he been more favorably situated, as to leisure and means, he might readily have made his mark as an inventor or author, but he preferred to remain where he felt an all-wise Providence had placed him. His mark was, however, made honestly and deeply on the generation of youth that grew up under his long and faithful ministry here.

In 1869 he accepted a call to Plainfield, Conn., and was there installed June 9th. He died on June 18, 1876.

The Rev. Thomas L. Ellis succeeded Mr. Phipps, and was installed November 26, 1871. He died, after a brief pastorate, on November 12, 1873. He was followed by the Rev. Francis J. Fairbanks. He was hired in the early part of 1874, and continued his labors here till October, 1877. He was a well-educated man, and devoted in his work. The Rev. Otis Cole, a Methodist divine, was next hired by this society, and commenced his labors on January 1, 1878, and con- tinued for two years, when he removed to New Hamp- shire. He was a man of great simplicity, and yet of very great power as a preacher and much beloved by all, both by those in and out of the church. The following summer the society engaged Mr. John E. Dodge, who was licensed to preach. He filled the pulpit for several years and was then ordained and settled, continuing his labors a couple of years there- after. In June, 1887, he asked for a dismissal, having been called to the church in Sterling. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dodge were earnest in their labors in behalf of the church and community.

The Rev. Alpha Morton succeeded to the pastorate. He was engaged in June, 1887, and still continues his active labors with this people. He is an able man and of the highest character.

The old church edifice erected by the district of Paxton in 1767, paid for by a general tax, was used for all town-meetings after its erection, and the "deacon's seat" was the place occupied by the moderator of the town-meetings. In 1835 it was voted to remove the building to its present site and both enlarge and repair it, the town putting in a basement story for a town-hall, and it is now a very dignified edifice of the usual village style. Subse- quently the church, feeling the need of a room for vestry purposes, entered into an agreement with the town, offering to light and warm and care for the said town hall for all town purposes on condition of its use by them as a vestry. In 1888 the town, stimulated by the gift of one Simon Allen, erected a new town hall, concerning which additional particulars are given further on in our history.

Leaving the history of the church and taking up that of the town, it will be remembered that the "D.strict of Paxton " was chartered in 1765, Feb.

12th, and was "to join Leicester and the precinct of Spencer" in electing a Representative to the Legis- lature. This restriction was removed by an act bear- ing date July, 1775, viz. : " Whereas there are divers acts or laws heretofore made and passed by former General Courts or Assemblies of this Colony for the incorporation of towns and districts, which, against common right and in derogation of the rights granted to the inhabitants of this Colony by the charter, con- tain an exception of the right and privilege of choos- ing and sending a representative to the Great and General Court or Assembly. Be it therefore enacted and declared by the Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that henceforth every such exception contained in any act or law heretofore made and passed by any General Court or Assembly of this Colony for erecting or incorporating any town or district, shall be held and taken to be altogether null and void, and that every town and district in this Colony consisting of thirty or more freeholders and other inhabitants qualified by charter to vote in the election of a repre- sentative, shall henceforth be held and taken to have full right, power and privilege to elect and depute one or more persons being freeholders and resident in such town or district, to serve for and represent them in any Great and General Court or Assembly hereafter to be held and kept for this Colony according to the limitations in an act or law of the General Assembly, entitled an act for ascertaining the number and regu- lating the House of Representatives, any exceptions of that right and privilege contained or expressed in the respective acts or laws for the incorporation of such town or district notwithstanding."

On August 22, 1774, the following committee was chosen to consult and report on the state of public affairs, viz. : Capt. Ralph Earle, Lieut. Willard Moore, Dea. Oliver Witt, Phineas Moore and Abel Brown. They also voted to purchase a barrel of powder in addition to the stock (some two barrels) then on hand. All the able-bodied men of all ages, capable of bearing arms, were formed into two military companies, one of which was called the " Standing," and the other the " Minute Company."1

On the 17th of January, 1775, thirty-three men were ordered by the town to be drafted as minute- men. They chose Willard Moore to be their captain. He went with his command on April 19, 1775, to Cambridge, on receiving intelligence of the begin- ning of hostilities at Lexington and Concord.

The following is a copy of the agreement of the minute-men at Snow's in 1775 :

We the Subscribers, Do engage for to Joyn the Minute Men of this District and to March with them Against our Common Enemys When we are called for, if so be that the Minute Companys are kept up as witness our hands : Marmaduke Earle, Jonah Newton, David Goodenow,

1 A Committee of Safety was chosen on March 20, 1775, consisting of Willard Moore, Phineas Moore, Abraham Smith, Ralph Earle and David Davis.

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Jr., Abijah Brown, Joseph Knight, Clark Earle, Nathan Swan, Jonah Howe, Ithamer Bigelow, John Davis, Jobn Pike, Phineas Moore, John Flint, Ebenezer Hunt, Thomas Lamb, Oliver Earle, Jonathan White, Hezekiah Newton, Stephen Barrett, Samnel -, Daniel Steward, Joseph Prescott.

The duties of the committee named above were various ; among other matters, to observe and report to the people the action of Congress, and also the acts of the colonists and the doings of the home government, and last, but perhaps not least, to keep watch of certain suspected Tories in the district, of whom there were a number.

Captain Willard Moore, with a number of his men, soon enlisted in the Continental Army. He was promoted to the rank of major and took part with his men in the battle of Bunker Hill, where he was killed, together with several of his men. The " standing company," already named, was commanded by Captain Ralph Earle,1 with John Snow as lieu - tenant, and Abel Brown as ensign: They were chosen as officers at the district-meeting on Jannary 17, 1775, and did valiant service, and bore their share of the hardships ofthe long campaigns for liberty and independence.

At the town-meeting held April 6, 1775, Lieutenant Willard Moore was chosen delegate to the Provincial Congress, held in Concord, Mass., and was instructed to " use his influence in Congress that government be assumed in case that it shall prove certain that Great Britain intends to enforce the late acts of Par- liament by the sword."

The town, at various times during the Revolutionary period, appropriated about ten thousand pounds as bounties, besides paying heavy taxes to the Provin- cial government amounting to many hundreds of pounds. Then, too, there were frequent purchases of beef for the use of the army, sending as high as nine thousand pounds at one time as their quota of the supplies needed by the government " at the front."

In addition to the regular companies named, there were, the records say, many volunteers going forward on their own responsibility and their own patriotic impulse to defend their imperiled country.

In the following year (1776) the records show a warrant directed to the "Constable of the Town of Paxton."

There is a warrant dated May 13, 1776, calling a meeting on the 23d of that month, for the purpose of choosing "a person to represent them in the Great and General Court" that year, agreeably to a pre- cept directed " to the town " for that purpose.

On May 23, 1776, the town made choice of Abraham Smith as its first representative to the General Court, and the record shows the clerk of the meeting to have signed himself as the town clerk, all rec- ords prior thereto having been signed by the district clerk.

In June, 1779, there was a special call for repre- sentatives to meet in Cambridge, for the purpose of framing a State Constitution, and under this call, on August 10, 1779, Adam Maynard was chosen as the delegate. This very year it would seem by the rec- ords that Abraham Smith continued as the represen- tative to the General Court, while Phineas Moore was the delegate to the convention held in Concord.

These were stirring times with the colonists, and besides the care of founding States was the added one of taking up arms to maintain them and estab- lish liberty. In all of these serious affairs the new town of Paxton discharged all of her obligations with highest eredit. In the earlier contests between the French and Indians this town furnished, in 1756, five men as her quota in a call for one thousand men from Worcester and Hampshire Counties. Their names were : Ezekiel Bellows, Jacob Wicker, Jason Livermore, David Wicker and John Wicker. These men were in the command of Gen. Ruggles, and saw service at Crown Point, Fort Edward and Ticonderoga.

This town is proved by all the ancient records to have been eminently patriotic in the time of the Revolution. All of the demands for men and means were met, though doubtless their efforts at times were very great. The prolongation of the war, saying nothing of the cost ineurred in getting ready for the contest, was a very serious matter, but through all these trials the true patriots never flinched.

Among their first acts was an attempt on their part to rid themselves of the name of Paxton, now odions by reason of his loyalty to and influence with the enemy of the colony. They failed in their patriotic endeavor to secure a change of name, as we have seen.

The Hon. George W. Livermore, of Cambridge, a native of Paxton, relates the following ineident which happened here: Jason Livermore and his three sons were plowing in the field when informed by a messenger of the incursion of the " regulars " to Lexington and Concord, and that the company of which they were members would march forthwith. The father said : " Boys, unyoke the cattle and let us be off." No sooner said than done; and they at once made ready and marched, with the household pewter dishes melted into bullets, to Cambridge, and there joined the Continental army, and on June 17, 1775, they bore a part in the great battle of Bunker Hill. The wife and mother, Mrs. Jason Livermore, was left with a lad but twelve years of age, to enlti- vate the farm and care for the stock. This was suc- cessfully done, and it is further stated that she made a hundred pounds of saltpetre for the army, during the summer, in addition to her other duties." Mrs. Livermore died at the extreme age of ninety-nine years and ten months. In the following year this same Jason Livermore, together with one Samnel Brewer, of Sutton, raised a company and proceeded

1 Capt. Ralph Earle married the widow Naomi Kinnicutt, of Provi- dence, in 1775.

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to Charlestown, and from there were ordered to Ticon- deroga and Mount Hope, where they were stationed for some time. It is fully believed that the town of Paxton must have sent more than a hundred men into the ranks of the patriot soldiers of the Revolu- tionary army ; and history declares that few, if any, towns contributed, proportionately, more for the achievement of our independence, according to their means, than this. It is also reported that towards the close of the war " their individual and public suffer- ing was extreme, and at times almost intolerable ; " yet at no time did their courage flag or the fires of patriotism grow dim.

The qualification for voting in 1770 was the pos- session of sixty pounds' worth of property or an annual income of three pounds sterling. At the first State election there were twenty-four votes cast for John Hancock for Governor. The amount assessed at this time in the town on both polls and real estate was £29,400. The State tax in 1780 was as high as £5,120, old tenor.1

Provision for the education of the young was made as early as 1769 in the new district. On January 9, 1769, a warrant was issued calling a meeting to con- sider, among other things, the division of the town into "squadrons " or school plots, as per the recom-

) Among the names found in the early records it is interesting to bute the following, viz. :- Dr. Sandl. Steeros, who married in 1773 Sarah Witt. This Dr. Stearns was the practicing physician in this town at and before the Revolution. Then there appear the names of Samuel Gould, Capt. Ralph Karle, Ephraim Moore, Marmaduke Earle, Willard Moore, Paul Ilow, Rev. Silas Bigelow, Ithamar Bigelow, who had sons Timothy, Silas, Lewis and Ithamar ; Samuel Brown, Wm. Thompson, who had sons William and James ; Danl. Upham, llezekiah Newton, John Newhall, James Earle, Oliver Earl, Wm. Livermore, John Liver- more, Braddyl Livermore, Win. Martin, Thos. Lamb, Silas, Ezekiel and Joseph Bellows, Jacob Sweetser, Saml. Sweetser and Stephen Sweetser, David Davis, Eplun. Davis, Aaron Hunt, Jonathan Ames, Seth Swan, Jabez Newhall, John Warren, Daniel Steward, M. B. Williame, Adam Maynard, Moses Maynard, David Goodenow, John Knight, Wm. Whita- ker, David Wicker, Abel Brown, Danl. Knight, John Flint, Clark Earl, Nathan Sergeant, Danl. Bemis, Benj. Cutting, Dexter Karl, David Peirce, who had sons David, Gad, Aaron and Job ; James Wasbburo, Joseph l'enniman, Hezekiah Ward, Phiny Moore, Phineas Moore, Samuel Brigham, Seth Metcalf. Benj. Wilson, Dr. Thad. Brown, Dr. Saml. Forrest, Dr. Caleb Shattuck,-these were all residents and prac- ticing physicians, between 1765 and 1800, in this town-Samnel and Ebenezer Wait, Jude Jones, Timothy Bigelow, married Anna Earl in 1797 ; Ithamar Bigelow, Jr., married Sophie Earle in 1801 ; Daniel Ab- bott, D. II. Grosvenor and Jonathan P. Grosvenor, Levi Boynton. Dr. Absalom Russel, Dr. Loami Harrington, was married to Delia Newton in 1806 by Nathaniel Crocker, Esq. ; Taylor Goddard, Frederick Flint, Joseph Knight, Benj. Wilson, Thomas Whittemore, Wm. Howard, Henry Slade and his sons Anthony, Jobn and Henry ; Winthrop Earle, Braddyl Livermore, Amos Ware, Elisha Ward, Ebenezer Bointo, had children, Ebenezer, Jr., born in 1770, Silas, Jeremiah, Alpheus, Phebe, Levi, Ilannah, Asa and David ; Samuel Jednison, Ebenezer Estabrook, William Earle, Robert Crocker, Emory Earle, Seth Metcalf, Jr., Jobu Pike, Francis Pike and Clark Pike, Thomas Read, Jacob Earle, Rufus Earle. Artemas Earle, Nathan Cass, Moses Gill Grosvenor, son of Rev. Daniel Grosvenor, Geo. W. Livermore, son of Braddyl Livermore, born Oct. 15, 1794 ; Thaddeus Estabrook, Ephraim Carruth, John Brigham, Joseph Day, Nathaniel Lakin, Samuel Partridge, John Partridge, El- bridge Gerry Howe, sou of Jonah Howe, born Aug. 14, 1799 ; John Howe, Jonathan Chase and son, Homer Chase ; Ralph Earle Bigelow, son of Ithamar Bigelow, Jr. ; Oliver Arnold, Amasa Earle, Silas D. Harring- ton, Daniel Lakin, John Bellows, Sam'l Wait, Daniel Estabrook, son of Jonah Estabrook, born in 1807 ; Jacob Earle, Dr. Edward M. Wheeler.

mendation of a previously-appointed committee who had reported favorably. This committee (chosen in October, 1768) consisted of Captain Oliver Witt, William Whitaker, William Thompson, Willard Moore and Jonathan Knight.

There were (in 1769) five districts established, and the committee for each " school plot " were as follows : For the Northeast, Phineas Moore, Hezekiah Newton and Stephen Barrett ; for the Southeast, Daniel Stew- art, James Glover and Francis Eager; for the South- west, Abner Moore, James Thompson and Jason Livermore; for the Northwest, Abraham Smith, Wil- liam Whitaker and Jonah Newton ; for the Middle plot, Captain Paul How, John Snow and Ralph Earle.

The following names of the heads of families living in the several school plots or divisions, together with the number given the said divisions, must be of general interest even at this date, viz. :

Northeast School Plot, No. I .- William Allen, Capt. Saml. Brown, En. Stephen Barrett, Aaron Bennet, Samuel Estabrook, Joo. Fersenden, Zach ? Gates, Aaron Hunt, Ebenezer Hnut, Samuel Man, Phineas Man, Elijah Man, Peter Moore, Ephraim Moore, Willard Moore, HIezikiah Maynard, Hezikinh Newton, Silas Newton, Benj. Pierce, Jacob Sweetser, Jacob Sweetser, Jr., Benj. Sweetser, Ebenezer Wait, Antipas How, James Ames.

Southeast School Plot, No. 2 .- Capt. Jesse Brigham, Joel Brigham, En. Timothy Barrett, Thomas Denny, Win. Earle, Jr., Antipas Earl, Francis Eager, Newhall Earl, James Glover, Zach. Gates, Wml. Howerd, Jabez Newball, Daniel Steward, Danl. Snow, Asa Stowe, Joseph Spragne, Danl. Uphanı, Capt. Oliver Witt, Elijah Dix, Jedediah Newton, Ebenezer Boy- ington, Jou't. Wheeler, Jr., Jeremiah Fay.

Southwest School Plot, No. 3 .- Ezekiel Bellows, Joseph Bellows, Abijab Bemis, Jont. Brigham, Jacob Briant, John Livermore, Abner Morse, James Nicol, Seth Swan, Wm. Thompson, Wm. Thompson, Jr., Wm. Wicker, David Wicker, Sammel Wicker, Jacob Wicker, David Newton, Jonathan Knight, Jr., James l'ike, Solomon Newton.

Northwest School Plot, No. 4 (now West School District) .- Joel Brighem, Jonathan Clemmer, David Goodenow, Ebenezer Hunt, Jr., James Mc- Kennon, Seth Metcalf, Jaasaniah Newton, Jonah Newton, Nahum Newton, John Smith, Abraham Smith, Jonas Smith, Wm. Whitaker, Wm. Whitaker, Jr.

The Middle School Plot, No. 5." (now the Centre School) .- Abel Brown. Col. Gardoer Chandler, Capt. Thos. Davis, David Davis, Wm. Earle, Capt. Ralph Earle, Samuel Gonld. Wid. Damarins How, Wm. Martin, Shadariah Newel, Ebenezer Prescott, David Pierce, Jonathan Knight, Daniel Knight, Joo. Snow, Seth Snow, Adam Maynard, Elijah Dem- mon, Capt. Paul How, Jonah How, Saml. Brewer, Eleazer Ward, James Logan, Andrew Martin.

The Northwest (or West, as it is now known) School- honse was located, in these early days, just west of the road leading from " Hows Hill," now " Davis's Hill," to Jennison's Mills (Comins' Mills), a few rods south- ward of the pond and across the highway. About 1820 the present brick school-house was erected just west of the mill-dam. Some fifty years ago or more Homer Chase taught this school, and lived at the house near by. It will be recollected by the older citizens that years ago the seats were arranged in two rows, which brought the scholars in two lines, one directly back of the other.

A class in reading was up, and a notably dull scholar was proceeding, and, as usual, was being

2 The number of districts now is the same as in 1769.

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PAXTON.

prompted by his neighbor behind him, who could overlook his book. It was the habit of this dull reader to use his finger to keep his place, and as he was being coached, his finger prevented the party prompting from seeing the words ahead, so he whispered to this dull reader, "Skip it;" the reader supposed they were the next words in order for him to repeat, and he drawled out, "S-k-i-p i-t," which had the result to " bring down the house," as modern people speak.

At the Southwest School, forty years ago, there were as many as sixty scholars in attendance, and this was true of most of the other schools in town, whereas, at the present time, they would not average a dozen pupils to a school-house, outside of the Centre District ; and what is true of this town is nearly true of all the back towns in New England. The Centre School building used to stand north of its present location, near where Hiram P. Bemis now lives, on the Rut- land road. It was a square-built house, and when abandoned, it was used to erect the house now owned by H. C. Eames, on the Barre road. Mr. D. Gates Davis remembers when more than sixty scholars at- tended at this school.

We herewith append a list of prices established in 1777 by the authorities of Paxton :

Agreeably to late act of the Great and General Conrt of Massachu- setts Bay To Prevent Monopoly and oppresion ; The Selectmen and Committee of correspondence for the Towa of Paxton have Agreed upon and affixed the Prices hereafter set down to the Following Articles in the Town of Paxton, Viz. :-

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 157

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