History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 166

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 166

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The petition of the undersigned; qualified voters in the town of Men- don, ia the county of Worcester, respectively represent that the popula- tion of the towa, hy the last census, was 3,524, since which time it has greatly increased ; that the town is divided into two parishes, viz. : the First, or North Parish, and the Second, or South Parish, hy a territorial line running nearly east and west ; that the principal portion of the population is located at the extreme north and south parts of the town ; that the towo has no town house nor any convenient place near the centre of the towo to hold towo meetings or to transact towo business ; that the town is well located to divide into two towos, there being a thio population along the dividing line of the parishes, and a raage of hills and wild, uncultivated laod ; that the inhabitants of the two parishes have different interests and are engaged in different occupations and that it will greatly accommodate the inhabitants if the towo was divided into two towns.

The petition was signed by Joseph G. Davenport and 766 others. Against the division a counter-pe- tition was filed, the body of which was as follows :

The undersigned, freeholders and legal voters of the town of Men- don, do respectfully and urgeotly remonstrate against the division of the town of Meudon into two towos by your honorable body on the pe- tition of Joseph G. Davenport and others, or on any other petition, present to your honorable hody the following reasons for so remoa- atrating :

1. The geographical dimensions of the town is not above the average of towns in our county of Worcester, being 21,06012 acres withia its claimed houadaries.

2. Rhode Island claims a part of our territory, and which claim is now peading for adjudication in the Supreme Federal Court.

3. The division of the town will cause great inconvenience io the School Districts.

4. The towo has ao almshouse establishment amply sufficient for the towo, as it now is, with paupers, which may lead to expensive and vex. atious litigation if the town is divided.

5. The petitions have heen prematurely presented to your honorable hody, as we understand the Revised Statutes. There has never heen any notice served upon this towo up to this day. Some of the petitioners for a division (we understand) have stated that unfair means were used to ohtaio their signatures. Almost all our transient male population (if our information is correct), from twenty-one years upwards, have been induced to petition for a division of the town, and whether they are all voters is very questionable ; and we think that more than one-third of the population of Mendon are transient people, leaving a large propor-

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tion of the freeholders to defend themselves against a measure in which these can have but little interest.

This petition of remonstrance was signed by Oba- diah Wood and three hundred and thirteen others.

A bill was reported by the Committee on Towns, February 26, 1845, went through the usual stages and became a law by the signature of the Governor, March 25, 1845 :

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE TOWN OF BLACKSTONE.

Be it enacted. &c., as follows:

SECT. 1. All that part of Mendoa, in the county of Worcester, which lies sonth of the line dividing the South Precinct from the First Pre- ciact ia said town, as established by an act of incorporation in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six, shall be, and the same is hereby incorporated into a separate towa, by the name of Blackstone ; and the said town of Blackstone is hereby vested with all the powers, privileges, rights, and immunities, and subject to all the duties and requisitions to which other towns are entitled aud subjected by the Con- stitution and laws of this Commonwealth.

SECT. 2. All the real and personal estate belonging to and held in common, by the inhabitants of the present town of Mendoa, shall be sold, and the proceeds thereof shalt be applied to the payment of the debts nud charges now due and owing from the town of Mendoo; and the surplus, if any, shall be divided between the said towns of Mendon and Blackstone, according to the valuation next preceding the passage of this act ; and if the said proceeds, together with the money now in the treasury end available debts due the town, shall be insufficient to pay the debts and charges aforesaid, said town of Blackstone shall pay her proportionate part, according to the valuation nforesaid.

SEAT. 3. All persons legally settled in the present town of Meodou who are oow, or who may hereafter become chargeable as panpers, aod all persons who may hereafter become legally settled in either of said towns of Mendon aod Blackstone and become chargeable as pappers, shall be supported by that towo within the territorial limits of which they may have gained a legal settlement, or in which their settlement may have been perfected.

SECT. 4. The inhalitants of the town of Blackstone shall be bolden to pay all State, county and town taxes legally assessed on them to the treasurer and collector of the town of Mendon; and all moneys uow in "the treasury of said town, or that may hereafter bo received from taxes now assessed, or directed to be assessed, shall be applied to the purposes for which they were raised and assessed, the same as if this act had not passed.

SECT. 5. The town of Mendon shall pay to the towo of Blackstone a just proportion of the Surplus Revenue of the United States, received by the town of Mendon, to be apportioned according to the census taken by authority of the State, in the year one thousand eight hon- dred and thirty-seven. in pursuance of "An Act concerning the deposit of the Surplus Revenue," and the towo of Blackstone shall receive, io payment of their proportion, any bonds and ootes secured by mortgage on real estate within the limits of said town of Blackstone; and the said town of Blackstone shall be holden to refund to the town of Men- don the proportion of said Surplus Revenue so to be received by them whenever the town of Mendon shall be required to refund the same to the Commonwealth.

SECT. 6. The said town of Blackstone shall remain a part of the towo of Mendon for the purpose of electing a representative to the General Court, to which the town of Mendou is entitled, until the next decennial census of the inhabitants shall be taken, in pursuance of the thirteenth article of the Amendments of the Constitution. And the meeting for the choice of such representative shall he called by the selectmen of Mendon ; and the warrant shall specify teo o'clock in the foreooon as the time whco the polls at such elections shall be opened ; and the same shall be opened accordingly, and be closed by one o'clock io the afternoon of the same day.

SECT. 7. The selectmen of Blackstone shall make a true list of per- sous belonging to said town qualified to vote at every such election, and the same shall be taken and used by the selectmen of Mendon for such election, in the same manner as if it had been prepared by them- selves. Such meetings shall be held in the towns of Mendon and Blackstone respectively, in alteroate years, commencing with the town of Blackstone ; and the selectmen of Mendon shall appoint soch place for meeting to be held io Blackstone as the selectmed of Blackstone shall, in writing, request.

SECT. 8. Any justice of the peace within and for the county of Worcester is authorized to issue a warrant, directed to some principal inhabitant of said town of Blackstone, requiring him to notify end waro the inhabitants thereof, qualified to act in town affairs, to meet et ench convenient time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant, for the choice of all such officers ns towns are, by law, required to choose in the months of March or April annually.

SECT. 9. This act shall take effect from and after the passage of the same. Approved by the Governor, March 25, 1845.

A true copy.

Attest, JAMES P. HAYWARD, Town Clerk.

THE TOWN ANNALS .- 1845 .- The first town-meet- ing of the new town was called by Dan Hill, a justice of the peace, on the 27th March, 1845, two days after the Governor's signature was affixed to the act of incorporation, in a warrant directed to Wash- ington Hunt and giving warning only of a choice of town officers. At the meeting, which was held April 5th, in the meeting-house at Chestnut Hill, at one o'clock in the afternoon, Jared Benson was chosen moderator, and the following annual officers were elected : Town Clerk, James P. Hayward; Select- meu, Emory Scott, James Comstock, Jared Benson, Daniel Southwick, Hezekiah Harrington ; Assessors, Welcome Thayer, Daniel S. Southwick, Jared Ben- son, Jr. ; Overseers of the Poor, Willard Wilson, Samuel Verry, Caleb Taft ; School Committee, Louis Cook, Orrin Sargent, Earl Joslin ; Constable, Rufus Hayward; Treasurer, James P. Hayward. This meeting was adjourned to April 19th, at the same time and place, when, under a new warrant, twelve hundred dollars were appropriated for schools, six hundred dollars for support of the poor, six hundred dollars for town incidentals, and eight hundred dol- lars for highways and bridges. Laban Bates was chosen assessor in place of Welcome Thayer, excused. Voted to repair highways by allowing each man ten cents per hour, oxen and cart ten cents per hour, for plough five cents per hour. Voted to choose a com- mittee, one from each original school district, to re- port at an adjourned meeting what alterations in the school districts are necessary. Laban Bates, of 5th; Emory Scott, of 6th ; Horace Benson, of 9th ; Caleb T. Wilson, of 10th; Samuel Verry, of 11th; Peter Gaskill, Jr., of 12th; Lyman C. Curtis, of 13th ; Hezekiah Harrington, of 14th; Libbeus L. Wood, of 15th ; Enos Hayward, of 16th, and Eli Kelly, of 18th, were chosen said committee. Rnfus Hayward bid off the collection of taxes at auction for seven- teen dollars. It was voted not to choose any tything- men, that the selectmen should be the Board of Health, aud that this meeting adjonrn to April 26th, at two in the afternoon, at Henry Coverdale's house. There voted to purchase Millens Taft's farm for the poor of Blackstone at three thousand dollars. Very little else was done at this meeting and it was adjourned to May 3d, when the committee on school districts made a report, which was accepted, and the following prudential committee was chosen. No. 1 (Chestnut Hill District), Horace Benson ; No. 2 (Verry District), Millens Taft; No. 3 (Five Corners District), Eben-

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ezer Chase; No. 4 (Upper Canada District), William A. Kelly ; No. 5 (Lower Canada District), Lyman Paine; No. 6 (Pickering District), Libbeus L. Wood; No. 7 (Waterford District), Welcome Farnum ; No. S (Blackstone District), Silas H. Kimball; No. 9 (Town-House District), George W. Hunt; No. 10 (North Millville District), Newbury Darling; No. 11 (South Millville District), Lyman C. Curtis.

It was getting to be a troublesome matter for all the voters to travel either to the extreme northeast corner (Coverdale's) or the extreme northwest corner (Chestnut Hill) to a town-meeting every week, so at a meeting called at the Verry Tavern, so called, on the 7th of June, it was voted to choose a committee tu take into consideration and report at this meeting the location and size of a building for a town-house. Dan Hill, Dr. Abel Wilder, Willard Wilson, Jared Benson and Francis Kelly were chosen and forth- with reported, "that it is expedient to build the honse seventy feet by fifty, with about eighteen feet posts, and that it be located on such spot of ground, near the Verry Tavern, as is suitable and can be ob- tained un fair terms." This report was accepted, and Dan Hill, Washington Hunt and Jared Benson were chosen a committee to build.

Another meeting was immediately called for the purpose of reconsidering, but it failed of its purpose, and the present town-house was at once built. It was completed in season to be used the 10th November, following, at the annual election of State officers.

The Surplus Revenue of the United States received through the town of Mendon, and amounting to $4,- 803.45, was disposed of by voting to loan it on security satisfactory to the selectmen.

The selectmen during the year erected stone-bounds on the westerly side of each highway, between Men- don and Blackstone, and perambulated the bonnds with the selectinen of Uxbridge, Mendon and Belling- ham.

The assessors for 1844 in Mendon, through Preserved S. Thayer, reported the valuation and polls in the South Parish as follows: Real estate, $548,299; per- sonal estate, $366,025; total, $914,324. Polls, 696.

The assessors for 1845 in Blackstone reported for that year: Real estate, $635,660; personal estate, $442,286; total, $1,077,946. Polls, 792. Rate on $1000 was $2.60. Poll-tax, 68 cents.

On November 10th, before voting for State officers, the voters of Mendon and Blackstone, in the latter's new town-hall, balloted for Representative. Rufus Hayward, of Blackstone, had 163; Alanson S. Free- man, of Mendon, had 96; Charles L. Harding, of Blackstone, had 75; scattering, 6; and there was no choice.

November 24th, a second meeting was held for choice of Representative. Rufus Hayward had 191, Alanson S. Freeman had 96, Charles L. Harding had 22, scat- tering 27, and Rufus Hayward was elected.

1846 .- Town Clerk, James P. Hayward; Selectmen

Emory Scott, Daniel Southwick, Moses Daniels, James A. Baldwin, Samuel Thayer; Assessors, Preserved S. Thayer, Arthur Cook, Jr., Millens Taft; Overseers of Poor, Willard Wilson, Caleb Taft, Hiram Metcalf; School Committee, Arthur Cook, Jr., Horace Thayer, Dan A. Comstock; Town Treasurer, James P. Hay- ward.

The annual March meeting passed a resolution in favor of the Boston and Southbridge Railroad, then petitioned for before the General Court.

The stone arch bridges over the canal at Millville and over Fox Brook, at Waterford, were built this year.

Rev. Benjamin D. Peck was settled pastor over the Waterford Free-Will Baptist Church, where he re- mained about two years.

On the 9th November the voters of Mendon and Blackstone were to meet in Harrisou Hall, Mendon, to elect a representative to General Court. The Mendon voters opened the polls promptly at 10 A.M., cast their ballots and closed the polls before the ma- jority of the Blackstone voters arrived. There was no choice. The Blackstone men organized a new meet- ing and elected Dan Hill; but he was refused a seat in the General Court, and the two towns went unrep- resented that session, as Mendon refused to call an- other meeting for an election. In the opinion of Mr. Dan Hill and most of the Blackstone people, this manœuvre was in the interest of a railroad company proposing a terminus in Woonsocket, R. I., instead of Blackstone.

The Blackstone River Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 106, was organized.

1847 .- Town Clerk, James P. Hayward ; Selectmen, Dan Hill, Caleb Thayer, Rufns Hayward, Stephen J. Sherman, Samuel Chase; Assessors, John Cady, Wil- liam Legg, Ebenezer Chase ; Treasurer, James P. Hay - ward; School Committee, Arthur Cook, Francis S. Weeks, Rev. Benjamin D. Peck; Overseers of Poor, the selectmen.

The town unanimously voted resolutions to be pre- sented to the General Court in favor of the railroad from Boston to pass through Blackstone Village, and appointed Dan Hill its agent to present it.

At the April meeting Emanuel N. Paine was chosen selectman in place of Caleb Thayer, and Preserved S. Thayer assessor, in place of William Legg, declined to serve.

At the April meeting there was an article " to see if the town will consent to an alteration, or new location, of the county road in the village of Millville over a portion of an ancient burial-ground near the resi. dence of Willard Wilson." And the town voted that this article "be referred to the selectmen to examine, and grant the request of the railroad company, if they see fit." The railroad here referred to was the Provi- dence and Worcester, which put its first train through the 17th of September following.

The Blackstone (No. 4) Mill and the Lincoln House

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

were built this season, which was further rendered notable by the settlement in town of Paul P. Todd, the eminent attorney andl legal adviser.

A Methodist Society was formed at Waterford, with Jeremiah N. Hanaford as pastor, and meetings were held for about two years in "Odd Fellows' Hall," now the residence of Thomas Campbell.

1848 .- Town Clerk, James P. Hayward; Selectmen, Dan Hill, Emanuel N. Paine, Hezekiah Harrington ; Assessors, Arthur Cook, Willard Wilson, Lyman Paine; Overseers of the Poor, Millens Taft, Lyman Paine, Whitney Alexander; School Committee, Rev. Benja- min D. Peck, Arthur Cook, Thomas Davis ; Treasurer, James P. Hayward.

Early in the year (January 10th) the town voted "That the Selectmen be authorized to loan $700 of the 'Surplus Revenue' money for one year, without interest, to Oliver Johnson, of New York (or to some other person whom they may deem snitable), to ena- ble him to procure a printing-press and appurtenances for publishing a newspaper in this town. And for security they are to take a mortgage on said press and appurtenances. It being understood that the paper is to be conducted independent of party, both in pol- itics and religion." The paper thus inaugurated under town anspices was a weekly four-page paper, called the Blackstone Chronicle, first issued February 26th. It failed before the 1st of the following Octo- ber, and the town had to take the press and type.

Canal Strect was laid out by the selectmen October 13th, accepted by the town October 21st, and was built at once by Welcome Farnum. Federal Street was laid out by the selectmen October 21st, and was accepted by the town November 7th.

The union meeting of the two towns to clect a Representative to the General Court again failed to make any choice November 13th, as did also a second meeting November 27th, althongh at the latter meet- ing the Blackstone voters combined on Samuel V. Stone, and gave him 245 votes in a total of 499.

Rev. Benjamin D. Peck, removing from town, was succeeded in the Waterford Parish by Rev. Thomas Brown, and on the School Committec by Rev. Michael Burdett.

1849 .- Town Clerk, James P. Hayward ; Select- men, Millens Taft, Lyman Paine, Daniel Southwick ; Assessors, Arthur Cook, Richard Battey, Joseph Southwick ; Overseers of the Poor, Whitney Alexan- der, Richard Battey, James Comstock ; School Com- mittee, Thomas Davis, Dr. Moses D. Southwick, Ar- thur Cook; Town Treasurer, James P. Hayward.

At a thinly attended town-meeting, held May 19th, the school district system was abolished, and votes passed looking to the purchase of school-houses from the districts, and the building of new houses by the town. This radical step was reversed at the ad- jonrned meeting, August 18th.

The St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church was organized May 14th at Millville, with Rev. John W.

Birchmore as pastor. Some trouble having arisen in the Methodist Reformed Church in the same village, certain members withdrew, and called Rev. Daniel Fillmore as minister.

The meeting, November 12th, to elect a representa- tive to the General Court, resulted in no choice, and again the two towns were unrepresented.

The Blackstone Savings Bank was incorporated April 20th, but failed to do any business. The Wor- cester County Bank was incorporated May 1st, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, by Wel- come Farnum, Silas H. Kimball and Dan Hill. It was located for many years in Blackstone Block, a large brick structure erected this year by Welcome Farnum.

On the 15th of May the long-awaited first train over the Boston road arrived in Blackstone from Walpole. The road was then known as the Norfolk County Railroad, and its completion had been due almost solely to the iron wili of Welcome Farnum.

Napoleon J. Smith put out his shingle in the vil- lage as attorney, and remained some two years.

1850 .- Town Clerk, James P. Hayward; Select- men, Emory Scott, Jared Benson, Jonathan F. Com- stock ; Assessors, Arthur Cook, Jared Benson, Jr., Rufus A. Benson; Overseers of the Poor, Caleb Thayer, Millens Taft, James P. Hayward ; School Committee, Dr. Moses D. Southwick, Emanuel N. Paine, Daniel Wheelock ; Treasurer, James P. Hay- ward.

School Districts Nos. 10 and 11, the two sections of Millville, were joined this spring into one district, No. 10. This district then proceeded to build a new brick school-honse on Central Street, now owned by the town.

The liquor question puts in its first appearance in Blackstone town-meetings, and Millens Taft, Fred- eric M. Ballou and Jared Benson, Jr., were chosen a committee to enforce the license law of the Common- wealth.

The small-pox broke out among the people work- ing in Eli Kelly's factory at Upper Canada (East Blackstone), and the town voted a general vaccina- tion, a hospital and a quarantine of the sick.

St. Paul's Church was founded in the autumn, the first place of worship constructed by the Roman Catholics in the town, although for more than fifteen years previously services had been held in private honses. Rev. Charles O'Reilly was its first priest.

St. John's Protestant Episcopal Society saw the corner-stone of its beautiful stone edifice laid by Bishop Eastburn July 16th.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Millville was organized March 3d.

Rev. Martin J. Steere was installed as pastor at the Waterford Church.

The North Blackstone post-office was removed to Lower Canada, and Moses Kelly became its new post- master.

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Bridge, Waterford and Cross Streets were laid out and accepted August 31st. The two latter form our present Market Street.

Park Street was accepted October 26th.

Caleb Thayer was chosen Representative to Gen- eral Court November 25th.

1851 .- Town Clerk, James P. Hayward ; Selectmen, Laban Bates, Henry S. Mansfield, Jr., Richard Battey ; Assessors, Emanuel N. Paine, Frederic M. Ballou, Moses D. Southwick ; Overseers of Poor, Whitney Alexander, Lyman Paine, Ariel Thayer, Jr. ; School Committee, Dr. Moses D. Southwick, Martin I. Steere, Thomas Davis ; Treasurer, Alexander Ballou.

Representative Caleb Taft was instructed to vote against a division of the county of Worcester, which matter was being agitated.

Lincoln Street, from Fletcher's store to the Jacob Southwick house, was laid out wider by the selectmen and was accepted April 7th.

The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 awakened the fol- lowing protest, written by Daniel Hill, Dr. Moses D. Southwick and Thomas Davis, and adopted by the town April 7th :

Resolved, That we adhere to the doctrine that "all men are bora free and equal," not because it is a sentiment, solemnly declared by our fathers, in defence of which they pledged "their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor," but because it is, as declared hy them, a self- evident truth, applicable to every age and to every race ; and those, and those oaly, who have sacrificed their convictions on the altar of ambi- tion or self-interest, would deprive the African of this God-given birth- right.

Resolved, That the Fugitive Slave Law, recently enacted hy Congress, is not only contrary to the fundamental principles of our government, but it is an act which attempts to transform us iato slave catchers, requir- ing us to sacrifice the noblest feelings of our nature, which prompt us to aid the weak rather than the strong, and by no means to strengthen the arm of the oppressor.

Resolved, That the attempt to justify this Law on the plea that it is necessary to preserve the union of these States, is but declaring that this Union cannot exist on the principles of Justice, Humanity and Right- eousness (aad therefore is not worth preserving), a declaration which we are unwilling to admit.

Resolved, That so great and indiscriminate is our alhorreace of slavery, if one who had basely sold himself to Southern slave holders should escape from his keepers and seek our protection, we could not so far " conquer our prejudices " as to "perform the disagreeable duty " of rendering aid ia returning him into bondage.

Resolved, That we regard it as the duty of the Legislature of this Com- monwealth, now in session, to pass au act, without further delay, secur- iag to all persons, claimed as fugitives from labor, "the privilege and benefit of the Writ of Habeas Corpus" and the " right to a trial hy Jury," and in all Constitutional ways protecting them against the atro- cions provisions of this abominable Fugitive Slave Law.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to our Repre- sentative in the General Court, with a request that he present theia to that body.

"Our Representative," Mr. Caleb Thayer, was at that time balloting in the Legislature for Charles Sumner as Senator in the National Congress, a re- sult secured on the twenty-sixth ballot. This was the time of the famous coalition between the Demo- crats and Free Spilers. A largely attended Teachers' Institute was held in April.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 166

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