History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 182

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 182

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

John Barr. ......... .. J. B. Fobes, John Sibley, M. Greenwood, P.

Monahan.

Samuel Steele .Geo. F. Vaughn

George Wooda, W. W. Gray

David Ayers. .Francis Shaw

Phinehas Warner .. J. H. Thresher

Wm. Anderson. Wm. E. Anderson

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NEW BRAINTREE.

Samuel Ware. Geo. F. Snow

Wareham Warner. Jobn O'Brien

Joseph Pepper ... . .Wm. A. and E. Pepper

Jacob Pepper. J. E. Barr

Moses Abbot Dwight Tyler

David and Jona. Gilburt M. Cota

Sarah Barnes. ... John Cooney, opp. side of brook

Ebenezer Spooner.

M. D. Peckham

Wm. Tufts.

John P. Day

Abraham Hunter J. P. Hunter, H. Moore, M. Ingo, J. D.

Frost and pt. by John Danbruskie

John Danbruskie

Adam Homes.

Cornelius Cannon

M. Graves

The cemetery in District No. 3 was given, in 1756, to the town by Edward Blair. For many facts and dates the writer is indebted to Mr. George D. Woods; for some facts relative to that portion of the town for- merly in Hardwick, to the " History of Hardwick" to C. B. Tillinghast, acting State librarian, for his uniform courtesy and assistance in furnishing access to original documents.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

BENJAMIN F. HAMILTON.

Benjamin F. Hamilton, son of William and Rhoda Hamilton, and a direct descendant in the fourth generation of James Hamilton, father of Alexander Hamilton, of Revolutionary fame, was born in Con- way, February 18, 1809. He received a common- school education in his native town. His was one of the old families of the town, and the name Hamilton was the name of the leading physician of Conway for nearly a hundred years. During his minority he engaged with his brother and uncle in the manufac- ture of woolens.

To him much was intrusted of the buying, selling and general management of the business. The de- pression in American manufacturing in competition with that of England after the declaration of peace following the War of 1812 rendering the business unprofitable, Mr. Hamilton went to Taunton as a clerk. From Taunton, in 1829, when twenty years of age, he came to Barre, in the employ of Harding, Woods & Co., as a clerk and book-keeper in their general store, remaining for six of the most receptive years of his life in one of the best kind of schools for the study of human nature that ever existed. Mr. Woods endorsed his services with him in this remark, that " He had been one of the most faithful, accurate and honest clerks be ever had in his em- ploy." While in Barre he married Catherine Wil- son, who died December 16, 1837, and by whom be had one child-Catherine-born December 11, 1837, who also died.

In 1835 he purchased of Amory H. Bowman his stock of goods in the old "Brick Store," and came first to reside in New Braintree. Here he remained until 1840, then removed to Petersham, where, in company with Sampson Wetherell, he engaged in

the same kind of business. It was customary then for country traders to purchase large quantities of leaf, parcel it out among their customers to be braided iuto hats, then buy the hats and pay for the same from the store. The depression in the hat business, and the consequent failure of many large houses, caused the failure of many smaller firms, of which Hamilton & Wetherell were one. Mr. Hamil- ton returned to New Braintree, and spent the re- mainder of his days in farming.

May 27, 1841, he married Hannah D. Gleason, daughter of Josiah Gleason, of New Braintree. During his residence in New Braintree he was closely identified with its interests, civil, parochial, business and political, and was, for a longer or shorter time, the official head of all of them. He was thoroughly faithful to all these interests while in his charge.

From 1863-68 he was a member of the Board of Selectmen, one year its chairman. For the first fif- teen years of its existence he was a director of the New Braintree Cheese Manufacturing Company, and five years its president. For eighteen years he was a member of the Parish Committee, and much of the time its chairman. It was a favorite saying of his that "He had been a member of this Parish for a longer consecutive time, and paid a parish tax a greater number of years, than any other living mem- her, with perhaps one exception." In his theological views he was diametrically opposed to the tenets held by the various preachers, to whom he listened nearly forty years, but in the practical application of religious truth he stood upon the broad ground, so common to many men of all denominations, that " Faith without works is dead also,"-a doctrine that an eminent divine once said would have classed the Apostle James as a Unitarian had he lived in our day.

Channing, the great apostle of Unitarianism, never had a more devout admirer than Mr. Hamilton. To say that he was always cool and deliberate in judgment, or wise and temperate in action, would be to say more than he would have said of himself. He was always true to his convictions an | fearless in their expression. He believed that truth was its own greatest safeguard and its declaration better than its suppression.

Besides, he never hit a man in the back; his blows were always in front, and whatever criticisms he had to make were made in so open a manner that the one criticised had ample opportunity to defend himself. If he sometimes went to extremes, he never did things by halves. If he was impulsive, he was also generous. He was methodical in business, paying close attention to details, enterprising and public-spirited. He died August 28, 1884,

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

J. P. GLEASON.

Josiahi' Parsons Gleason, son of Josiah and Mary (Hitchcock) Gleason, was born in New Braintree, May 15, 1822. His early education was mainly obtained in the district-schools of his native town, supplemented with a term or two each at Leicester Academy in 1835, at Phillips Academy, Andover, 1836, and at Munson Academy and Hadley in 1839. In 1837 and '38 he was clerk in the store of his brother-in-law, J. S. Marsh, in Hardwick, Mass. He became the home son and at the death of his father came into possession of the "Homestead " of about 250 acres, situated on the west slope of Fort Hill, overlooking the beautiful valley of the Ware River, and one of the most pro. ductive farms in New Braintree.

He was a member of the Board of Selectmen from 1865 to 1884, excepting 1868, and several years its chairman ; assessor from 1867-80. He was always the scribe of both boards, and the entire transactions of both during his membership are recorded in his bold, legible handwriting. His public as well as private affairs have always been conducted on bnsi- ness principles, with promptness, accuracy, thorough- ness and system. He has always advocated a liberal, but never extravagant, expenditure of the public funds, both for the general interests for which the town provides, such as schools, etc., as well as for special objects which the law does not make obligatory.

In politics he has always held it to be the right of the individual to form his opinions and act in accordance with his own convictions, independent of the opinions or acts of others, although by so doing he occupied a position opposed to the party to which he nominally belonged. Hence he has found himself at different times allied to both parties. In his early life he was much in general society, but later a family of wife and eight children furnished him with ample opportunities for the play of his social faculties, and this devotion to home has been fully reciprocated even after its younger members had grown to ma- turity and made homes of their own.

He married, November 21, 1849, Mary Newton Makepeace, born May 19, 1822; died September 16, 1855. His children by this marriage were : Josiah Makepeace, born September 11, 1850, died March 2, 1852; Mary Parsons, born May 29, 1852; Robert Rantoul, born September 7, 1855, died September 22, 1855; Albert Makepeace, born September 7, 1855.

He married, February 24, 1859. Ellen Augusta Tidd, daughter of Hollis Tidd, Esq., born April 30, 1831, The children by this marriage are : Edward Hollis, born February 4, 1860; Herbert Parsons, born Au- gust 1, 1861; Alexander De Witt, born March 1, 1863; George Davis, born November 21, 1864; Ronald Prentiss, born August 24, 1866 ; Alice Hamilton, born October 15, 1870.

Albert Makepeace Gleason married, September 8, 1883, Elizabeth Aiken, of Greenfield.

Edward Hollis Gleason married, May 30, 1885,

Julia Hamilton, of Boston. Children : Ellen Harris, born August 23, 1886 ; Hollis Tidd, born April 13, 1888.

CHARLES EAMES.

Charles Eames was a native of New Braintree. His mother was a descendant of the Ebenezer Tidd who emigrated from Lexington to this place in 1768. He was fitted for college when twelve years of age, but did not enter till the next year. He graduated at Harvard at the age of eighteen, the first scholar in a class in which were Wendell Phillips and Motley, the historian, with both of whom his friendship lasted till his death. In early life he acquired fame by his eloquence and rare oratorical powers. At the close of Mr. Polk's administration he was appointed commis- sioner to the Sandwich Islands, to make a commercial treaty with that government, which he accomplished. President Pierce appointed him Minister Resident at Caracas, Venezuela, with which government he also negotiated a treaty. On his return from that country he resumed the practice of law in Washington.

During the War of the Rebellion he was counsel for the Navy Department and the captors in all the prize cases, and for the Treasury Department in all the cotton cases. It was in arguing before the Supreme Court of the United States the great prize case of the "Sir William Peel," in which William M. Evarts was the opposing counsel, that he was stricken down with the disease that terminated fatally in two months. He rallied sufficiently in a month to appear again in the Supreme Court as counsel for the navy and the captors in the great prize case of the "Grey Jacket," involving a million of dollars, which he gained for the government, and that ended his pro- fessional career. He died March 16, 1867, in his fifty-fifth year. For many years his house was a great centre of celebrities in politics, jurisprudence, letters, art and society. Governor Andrew, in a notice of his death which he wrote for a Boston newspaper, said : " I think this tribute is due to a native of Massachu- setts, the first scholar in his class at Cambridge, and a lawyer who has won the leading reputation for his mastery of the learning of Prize, and the various other questions arising out of the War of the Rebel- lion, involving, as they do under our special national statutes, a great, difficult and philosophical branch of judicial study.

" Mr. Eames was the special counsel of the Treasury Department in all the great cotton cases, in which he has displayed alike ingenuity and native sagacity and skill.

"Many of our Massachusetts people will always re- member the house of Mr. and Mrs. Eames as the most hospitable. agreeable and attractive house in Wash- ington. With great simplicity, but with every charm of gracious and cordial manners, they received con- stantly, informally, and for years. There all the best and strongest men were to be seen, and though not

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I. Pylason

Charles Eames

Moses Thompson

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NEW BRAINTREE.

exclusive in a political sense in their friends, Mr. Eames was still, while with Democratic antecedents, warmly and faithfully loyal to the most advanced ideas, both during and since our struggle with the rebels. His employment professionally by the gov- ernment in no sense seemed to compromise his thor- ough and manly regard for the truth, as it naturally lay in the mind of a man trained to think, and edn- cated in the original ideas of Massachusetts. To his birthplace, to his native Commonwealth, he was faith- fully and warmly attached."

An International Episode .- "By a curious coinci- dence, just as our attention is turned to Mr. Sandham's notable painting of the 'Battle of Lexington,' I have received a call to-day from a Scotch gentleman who is the great-great-grandson of Major Pitcairn. He was greatly interested in our Pitcairn pistols and other relics, and spent several hours in looking about town. To make the coincidence still more striking, his wife, who accompanied him (an American lady), is a descendant of Joseph Tidd, who lived in the old Tidd homestead, which is still standing in Lexington, and whose sons, Benjamin and John, were in Captain Parker's company on the 19th of April, 1775.

" It is related by this John Tidd that, being one of the last to leave the Common, he was pursued by the British, struck down and robbed of his arms. At the same time his cousin, Lieutenant William Tidd, re- treating up Hancock St., was chased by a British officer (supposed to be Pitcairn), who cried out, 'Stop or you're a dead man.' The plucky lieutenant sprang over a pair of bars, made a stand, took aim and fired at his pursuer, who dodged the shot, wheeled about, and hastened back to join his men. That a de- scendant of this ' Britisher' should, after one hundred years, marry a descendant of this 'rebel,' and that the two should to-day come with eagerness to see, for the first time, the spot where their ancestors fought against each other, is a fact as strange as anything in fiction. Cupid has healed many a wound, but he was more than usually adroit when he contrived that a Pitcairn should at last marry a Tidd."

MOSES THOMPSON.

Moses Thompson, son of Nathan and grandson of James Thompson, the first captain of militia in own, whom, under the title of their " well-beloved and faithful" friend, the inhabitants of "Braintree Farms " selected from among their number to con- vey their petition to the non-resident proprietors, and secure their co-operation in their efforts to become Incorporated as a town, and who afterwards bore the petition for incorporation to the General Court, was born in the south room of the house now belong- ng to the estate of M. H. Fay, formerly the resi- dence of his grandfather.

November 21, 1807, when James Thompson first came to reside here, there was only one standing

tree on the farm-a rock maple. The whole terri- tory of the " Farms" had been burned over by the Indians, to afford pasturage for deer.

Nathan, the father, died when Moses was seven years old. He remained with his mother three years, then went to live with Moses Felton, where he re- mained four years, and afterward two years with Joseph Bowman. His mother having bought the farm now owned by Michael Boyle, on the road to West Brookfield from Wait's Corner, Moses went to live with her.

At twenty-two he bought of Baxter Ayres a farm in North Brookfield, where he remained five years. While there he married, June 29, 1830, Hannah Bush, daughter of Josiah and Molly Bush, born December 4, 1811, who has been a faithful and de- voted wife and mother. They came to New Brain- tree in 1834, and bought of Daniel Woods the home- stead they now occupy. This farm Mr. Thompson has about doubled in area since the original purchase. Mr. Thompson is the only living original member of the Congregational Parish, that has always retained his connection with it. He was for many years its treasurer and collector and a member of its commit- tee annually chosen to manage its affairs. He held the office of town treasurer, with the exception of two years, from 1858 to 1884, and for some years had the sole management of its town farm, with its occupants. He is conspicuous for the same traits that created public confidence in his grandfather, and his faithfulness, integrity and good sense have espe- cially characterized his public and private dealings. He likes trust and responsibility. He has always been a constant attendant of divine worship (inclnd- ing fast and thanksgiving days), and a constant and liberal supporter of religious institutions, not from impulse, but from principle, and equally liberal in his support of schools.

He is peculiarly fond of his family and friends, of visiting and receiving visits, and seldom is to be seen riding unaccompanied by one or more of his grand- children. He is a descendant, through his mother, Molly Doty, of Edward Doty, who came over in the "Mayflower " in 1620, "and was a party to the first duel fought by Englishmen in New England."

His children are : Charles Bush, born September 20, 1834; Nathan, born August 26, 1837; Harriet Delia, born November 6, 1841.

Of these, Charles married, January 23, 1858, Eliza- beth D. Fagan, born February 6, 1837. Their chil- dren are: George Hilliard, born May 22, 1863 ; An- nah Maria, born April 30, 1865, died April 13, 1877 ; Frances Hunter, born May 21, 1867 ; Harry William, born November 8, 1873, died April 8, 1877 ; Charles Moses, born September 13, 1875, died April 6, 1877 ; Ethel Garfield, born September 21; 1878; Gertrude Elizabeth, born February 14, 1884.

Of these, George Hilliard married, December 10, 1887, Adelaide Wight, born June 28, 1863. They

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

have one child-Georgia Elizabeth-born September 10, 1888.

Nathan (to whom further reference is made in list of educated men) married, January 1, 1870, Mary E. Dartt. Their children are: Clarence Dartt, born February 14, 1871, died September 10, 1871; Mary Florence, born January 3, 1873; Helen Morton, born March 9, 1875.

Harriet Delia married, April 9, 1874, L. Kirke Harlow, who died March 15, 1887.

CHAPTER LXXXVII.

LEICESTER.

BY REV. A. H. COOLIDGE.

SETTLEMENT.

Location-Indian Deed-Proprietors-Incorporation - Settlement-Hardships -Snow Storm-Thomas Green- Struggles-Rural Life-Houses-Mills -Lovell's War-Fortified Houses-Discouragements-Spencer " set off," also parts of Puxton and Auburn-Cyclone.

THE town of Leicester stands upon the ridge of the water-shed of Central Massachusetts, one thousand and seven feet above the sea level. Its waters flow east- erly, through Lynde and Kettle Brooks, into the Blackstone River; southerly, through French River, into the Quinebaug and Thames, and westerly from Sbaw Pond, through the Chicopee River, into the Connecticut. Lynde Brook Reservoir, on the east, is one of the sources of water supply for Worcester, and Shaw Pond, on the west, is the source of the supply for Spencer. Leicester is about forty-eight miles from Boston. It is six miles west of Worcester and five hundred feet above that city. Its location is 42º 14' 49"" north latitude, and 71º 54' 47" west longitude.

Its villages are the Centre, at first called Strawberry Hill; Cherry Valley, two miles east of the Centre, generally so-called since 1820; Rochdale, at first South Leicester, named Clappville, from Joshua Clapp, who purchased the mill property in 1829, and changed to Rochdale in November, 1869; Greenville, which about the middle of the present century began to be so called from its founder, Captain Samuel Green : Mannville, two miles north of the Centre, which was named after Mr. Billings Mann about the year 1856; and Lakeside, which has come to be so called within a few years. The northeast part of the town is called "Mulberry Grove," the name being first given in 1827 to the estate of Silas Earle, on which he raised mulberry trees and produced silk from the silk-worm.

At the time of its original purchase the township of Leicester was a part of the extended domain of the Nipmuck tribe of Indians. The character of this tribe

had been greatly changed, and many of its members had been converted to Christianity through the labors of John Eliot and Daniel Gookin. Gookin, in his " Historical Collections," mentions seven " new pray- ing towns" among the Nipmnek Indians. One of these was in Oxford and another was Pacachoag, in Wor- cester and the southeastern border of Leicester. That the Indians of Leicester had been brought under the same influences is indicated by the fact that one of the signers of the deed is styled " deacon." Few Indian relics have been found here, there are few Indian tra- ditions, and there is little to indicate that the place ever had a considerable native population, although it was of sufficient importance to have a sachem.

The Massachusetts Colony, like the Plymouth, re- cognized the claim of the aborigines to the land, aud secured it of them by fair purchase. The territory embracing Leicester, Spencer, a part of Paxton and a small portion of Auburn was bought of the Indiane by nine gentlemen of Roxbury and vicinity, who be- came the original " Associate Proprietors." The sachem, Oraskaso, had recently died, and the deed is signed by his heirs. The price paid for the land was fifteen pounds, New England money.

The deed is an interesting historical document. It declares

That the heirs of Oraskaso, Sachem of a placa called Towtaid, situate and lying near the new town of the English, called Worcester, with all others which may, under them, belong nnto the same placa aforesaid, Towtaid, these heirs being two women, with their husbands, newly married ; which, being by name called Philip Tray, with his wife, Momokhue; and Jobn Wampkson, with Waiwaynom, hia wife, for divers good canses and considerations ns thereunto moving ; and more especially for and in consideration of the sum of fifteen pounds, current money of New England to ns in hand paid by Joshua Lamb, Na. thaniel Page, Andrew Garduer, Benjamin Gamblin, Benjamin Tucker, John Curtice, Richard Draper and Samuel Ruggles, with Ralf Brad. hurst, of Roxbury, in the county of Suffolk, in New England, the re- ceipt of which we do fully acknowledge ourselves to be fully eatisfied and paid, have given - a certain tract of land containing, by estimation, eight miles square, situate, lying and being near Worcester aforesaid abutting southerly, on the lands of Joseph Dudley, Esq., lately pur chased of the Indians ; and westerly, the most southernmost corner of little pond called Paupakquamcock, then to a bill called Wakapokotow. now, and from theuce to a little hill called Mossonachud, and unto a great hill, called Asponisok ; and ao then easterly, npon a line, until it comes against Worcester bounds, and joins unto their bounds ; or how soever otherwise abutted and bounded, &c.

In witness whereof, the said Philip Tray and Momokhue, and John Wampscon, Waiwaynow, being their wives, have herennto set theu bands and seals, this twenty-seventh day of January, anno Domini, OD thonsand six hundred and eighty-six.

Signed, sealed and delivered, in presenca of us : PHILLIP THAY X his mark. [Seal.] MOMOKHUE TRAY X her mark. [Seal ] JOHN WAMSCON. [Seal. ] WAIWAYNOW WAMSCON X her mark. [Seal. ] WANDWOAMAG, X the deacon, hia mark. [Seal.] JONAS, his X wife'a mark. [Seal. ]

TOM TRAY X bis mark.

NONAWANO X his mark.

CAPT, MOOGUS X his mark. ANDHEW PITTEME X hie mark.

The deed was acknowledged before William Stough. ton, "one of his Majesty's Council, of his territory and dominions of New England," June 1, 1687.

Twenty-seven years afterward the number of proprie

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LEICESTER.

tors was increased to twenty-two. They were men of wealth and influence, and some of them were owners of large tracts of land in other towns of Central Massa- chusetts. None of them ever settled in Leicester. The purchase was a pecuniary investment, but was also designed to encourage the speedy settlement of the province.

The speculative venture was, however, for a long time unremunerative, and Towtaid remained for almost twenty seven years an unbroken wilderness. The period was unpropitious for interior settlement, and it was well that none was undertaken. Leicester was thus saved from perils and horrors to which other towns were subjected, while her primeval forests waited in silence for more peaceful occupation. Under the influence of the Christian religion, the Nipmnek Indians had become a peaceable and friendly people; but upon the outbreak of King Phillip's War, they became divided and broken. That wily and powerful chief came among them, and by persuasions and threats, and by the force of his fiery eloquence, won a portion of them to his cause. Many of them remained true to their English neigh- bors; but others followed their great leader. Their savage instincts were reawakened, they took the war- path, and brought disaster and ruin to the scattered settlements. In this, and the successive French and Indian Wars, all the earlier settlements of Central Massachusetts were broken up. Worcester was twice attacked, and the colonis's killed or driven out. Lancaster was burned, and its people massacred. Brookfield suffered the same fate; and the interesting colony of Huguenots in Oxford, were attacked, and forced to abandon their homes, their vineyards, their church and the burial-place of their dead.

There was little enconragement in circumstances so adverse to seek homes on the bleak hills of Leicester, in the heart of the Indian territory.

After the close of the French war in 1713, measures were taken to make the grant available. The original deed was recorded March 8th, 1713-14. The title had been confirmed by the General Court, February 15th, with the nsnal conditions, that portions of the and should be reserved for the Gospel ministry, and for a school, and that within seven years fifty families should settle themselves, with reasonable provision for self-defence, on a part of the land. This was a virtual, and indeed is the only, act of incorporation of the town of Leicester.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 182

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