USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 62
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In October, 1774, it was voted in town-meeting, "to purchase five barrels of powder, and as much shot as was proper; " and a committee was chosen "to provide for soldiers who may be called to march." In Jann- ary, 1775, the town voted "to carry the resolves of the Continental Congress into execution ;" and a com- mittee was appointed "to see them strictly adhered to in this town." At this meeting Mr. Benjamin Green was elected a delegate to the Provincial Congress to be held at Cambridge; and in May, of the same year, Mr. Abner Rawson was choseu to attend the Provin- cial Congress at Watertown.
The fires of patriotism now burned brighter and steadier, and the increasing military ardor of the citi- zens of this town, was made manifest, in the unan- imity with which they voted to stand by the action of the Continental Congress.
174
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
At a meeting of the inhabitants held in May, 1776, in the spring previous to the Declaration of Independ- ence, an article of which the following is a copy was voted almost unanimously in the affirmative: "To see if the town will vote, if the Honorable Congress should, for the safety of the United Colonies, Declare themselves Independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, whether that they will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the meas- ure."
In July, 1776, it was voted, "to grant six pounds to each person who shall Enlist in behalf of this town to go to Canada, or the Northern Department agree- able to the late act."
In May, 1777, there were evidently some Tories liv- ing in Uxbridge; for the town chose, "by written votes," Seth Read "to procure and Lay before the Court the evidence that may be had of the Inimical disposition of any Inhabitant of this town towards this or any of the United States, who shall be charged by the freeholders and other inhabitants of said town, or if their residence within this State is lookt upon to be dangerous to the public peace and Safety."
That the inhabitants of Uxbridge had pretty deter- mined ideas as to what sort of government the new nation needed and should have, is apparent from the fact that in said meeting they voted "to instruct our representative not to vote for the proposed form of constitution and form of government;" but as the record gives no information as to the form of Consti- tution and government they did desire, we must sup- pose, in view of their very decided opposition to Great Britain, that the form of government, etc., proposed by Congress was not sufficiently antagonistic to the mother country.
In March, 1778, it was voted "to send to the sol- diers now in actual service in the Continental Army, in behalf of the town of Uxbridge for three years or during the war, two shirts, one pair of tow breaches, two pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes;" and "that a committee be chosen to procure s'd cloathing and a man to carry it to them;" this last being no slight undertaking, when it is remembered that there was no public conveyance of any kind, and a journey of even a few miles was attended with great danger and fatiguing labor.
In 1778 two thousand pounds were raised " to pro- vide for soldiers in the Continental army," and in the same year "men were sent to Rhode Island, and men as guards to Rutland."
The sending of substitutes into the army was allowed, for in January, 1779, the warrant for the town-meeting contained this article : "To see what sum of money the town will give or allow to such Persons as have Pro- cured a man to do a turn for them in the Continental Service for three years, or during the war." No action appears of record upon this article. In April, 1779, two thousand five hundred pounds were appropriated "to carry on the Continental War." In June, 1779,
the town voted "that the Committee for Hireing Soldiers for s'd Town be Directed to Engage to Such Soldiers as they may hereafter Procure to Engage in the present war, in Consequence of orders Received for that purpose (for the Hire of such Soldiers), either Continental Currency, or the produce of the land Raised amongst us, Acting Deferentionarily in Engag- ing either Money or produce as to the sum of Money or Quantity of produce, and at what price as they with such soldiers may agree."
In November, 1780, one thousand pounds were raised to supply the army with beef ; also in January, 1781, twenty-three thousand pounds (probably Conti- nental currency) were appropriated for the same pur- pose ; also fifteen "hard dollars " (probably silver) were voted to hiring "Continental men," and on August 28, 1781, the town voted " to raise one hundred and fifty pounds ' hard money ' for the supply of beef called for by the General Court."
The following is a true copy of an original docu- ment now in the possession of the writer. The paper is yellow with age, but the writing and the original signatures of the members of the committee are as plain and legible as though recently written :
COMMITTEE CHAMBER, Boston, March 1784
These Certifie that Nathan Tyler Sr. and Others Selectmen of Uxbridg Procured for the Use of this Commonwealth, in the year 1779 :
thirty Nine Shirts @ £6 each. €234 0
thirty Nine Pr Shoes @ £7-4 pr pr. 280 16
thirty Seven Pr Hose @ f4 -pr pr. 148 0
Selectmen allowance for Trouble 25 -
Do Transportation 15 -
Total £702 16
which sum of Seven hundred & two Pounds Sixteen Shillings was allowed by the Committee on accounts on the 11th of March 1780.
Attest
SETH WASHBURN -
CHARLES TURNER
Committee
J. BARNUM on
EZRA SARGEANT
Accounts
JOSEPH HOSMER
The signatures are the genuine signatures of the members of the Committee of the General Court of 1784, so that it is probable that the account, which was allowed in March, 1780, was not paid to the selectmen until after a renewal of the approval in 1784, as above set forth. Money, or what represented money, was of such small value in 1780 that we may suppose the delay was occasioned by a disagreement as to the kind of money the bill allowed was to be payable in To show how great a depreciation must have taken place in the value of the currency, the town records state that in November, 1780, the town, at a regular meeting held to provide for town charges and expenses, " voted to raise (25,000) twenty-five thou- sand pounds, to defray town charges," and the same year they voted the sum of ten thousand pounds to buy beef for the army.
The records of the town do not contain a list; or anything that purports to be a list, of its citizens who served in the Revolutionary army. But from actual votes passed and recorded, I find the following names
175
UXBRIDGE.
referred to as having served in the different divisions of the service as volunteers or substitutes. It is prob- ahle that there were many others.
Capt. Edward Seagrave.
Lieut. Abner Taft.
Oliver Thayer. Samuel Hayward.
Lieut. Bezaleel Taft.
Moses Taft.
Lieut. Robert Taft.
Jabez Thayer.
Sergt. Noah Taft.
Oliver Taft.
Sergt. Paul White.
Jolin Hall.
John Prentice.
Charles Philips.
Nathan Dowse (or Druce). Joseph Cleaveland.
Capt. Simeon Wheelock.
Peter Sibley.
Jamies Hall.
Nathaniel Fish.
Aaron Browo.
A. Aldrich.
John Beals.
Jeremiah ('hillson.
James Keith.
Ichabod Keith.
Oliver Murdock. Joseph Rawson. John Falkner.
John Seagrave.
An interesting episode of the Revoluionary period was the visit of General George Washington to Ux- bridge, in the year 1789, on his journey from Boston to Hartford. General Washington, then President of the United States, passed a night at a tavern kept hy the father of Warner Taft, at North Uxbridge, and was so well pleased with the attention he received, that at Hartford, on the 8th of November, 1789, on his way home, he wrote the following letter to Mr. Taft, near Uxbridge, Mass. :
Sir,-Being informed that you have given my name to one of your sous, and called another after Mrs. Washington's family, and being moreover much pleased with the modest and innocent looks of your two daughters, Patty and Polly, I do for these reasons send each of these girls a piece of chintz ; and to Patty, who hears the name of Mrs. Washing- ton, and who waited on us more than Polly did, I send five guineas with which she may buy herself any little ornaments she may waot, or she may dispose of them in any other manner more agreeable to herself. As I do not give these things with a view to have it talked of, or even to its being known, the less there is said about the matter the better yon will please me; but that I may be sure the chintz and money have got safe to hand, let Patty, who I dare say is equal to it, write me a line in- forming me thereof, directed to "The President of the United States, New York." I wish you and your family well, and am your humble servant.
G. WASHINGTON.
This house is still standing, and in a good state of preservation, retaining its same style as when the father of his country honored it with his presence. It is now owned and occupied by some of the heirs of Warner Taft, and should be long preserved for its his- torical associations. A desk once owned by the Tafts, and at which Gen. Washington is said to have sat and written a dispatch or letter to be sent to Boston, is now owned by the writer of this history, and is most highly prized.
THE CIVIL WAR .- The record of Uxbridge in the War of the Rebellion was one of which she may well be proud, having furnished two hundred and ninety (290) soldiers, seventeen more than her quota, as called for by the State. The first "war meeting " was held in the basement of the Unitarian Church, then occupied for town-meetings, on the 11th day of May, 1861, which was addressed by several spirited and eloquent speakers. At the close of the speaking it was unanimously voted to give each volunteer belonging to the town twenty-one dollars a month while in service,
and one dollar a day for drilling previous to enlist- ment, not exceeding twenty days of eight hours a day. Fifteen hundred dollars was appropriated to purchase uniforms, and one hundred dollars to defray the ex- penses of forming a company of riflemen. On May 3, 1862, the town appropriated two thousand five hun- dred dollars to pay State aid to families of the volun- teers, and a committee was chosen "to ascertain the names of the soldiers belonging to the town, that their names may be preserved to posterity, by causing the same to be entered upon the records of the town." On July 23d the town voted "to give a bounty of one hundred and fifty dollars to each volunteer for three years, who should be accredited to the town's quota." On August 23d the same amount was voted to those who entered the service for nine months, to be paid when the town's quota was full; if not filled by volun- teers and a draft was made, then no bounty was to he paid.
March 2, 1863, the town voted to raise four thou- sand dollars for aid to be paid to the families of volun- teers during the year. September 28th the aid was extended to the families of drafted men.
On May 25, 1864, a bounty of one hundred and twenty-five dollars was voted to be paid to the three years' volunteers who should enlist upon the quota of the town, whether residents of Uxbridge or otherwise. As before stated, the town had no difficulty in filling its quota at these liberal bounties, and the voters were not sorry that the number furnished was so many in excess of the calls.
The whole amount of money expended for war pur- poses was twenty thousand two hundred dollars ($20,200); for State aid to families about fourteen thousand six hundred dollars ($14,600). About ten thousand dollars was contributed by citizens in addi- tion to the above. Large quantities of clothing, stock- ings and shoes were also contributed by the Ladies Soldiers' Aid Society and other patriotic workers, and many hundred dollars' worth of articles intended for the comfort of the boys at the front were forwarded, of which no estimate can be made.
The following list contains the names of soldiers in the army of the United States engaged in putting down the Rebellion and preserving the Union, who enlisted as residents of Uxbridge. The list does not include, therefore, those who helped to fill the quota, but who resided in other towns ; as their names are no doubt honored in a fitting manner by the towns which were honored by them. Those whose names are marked with a (*) died either in actual service or as prisoners of war. Let all unite to do honor to these brave sons of old Uxbridge !
Aldrich, G. Aldrich, Gideoo M.
Aldrich, James G.
Aldrich, Moses A. Aldrich, W. D. F. Andy, J.
Johneon, Stephen C.
Johnson, John R. Kavanongh, James.
Aldrich, John A. Keeting, Francie.
Kemp, David.
Kenny, Geo. W.
Kenny. -
Benjamin Cogswell.
176
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Anson, Henry.
Anthony, Sylvanne. Arnold, Edmund C. Bacon, Joseph M.
Kingston, Harrison,
Ballou, G.
Kinny, Geo. W.
Hall, Benj. F.
Whitcomb, JohD.
Barnam, W. II.
Kernes, Peter.
Ilall, Hezekiah.
Wright, Edward E.
Barrows, Chester. Barry, J.
Lackey, Sami W.
Bennett, James.
Legge, Geo. W.
Bent, Ferdinand A
*Legge, Henry H
Blanchard, Williamn. Bolster, Andrew .1.
Magee, John A.
Bolster, Geo. W.
Mahony, J. F.
Boyce, James.
McArthur, W. S. McArthur, Walter.
Braman, Charles E.
*Metcalf, A. R.
** Braman, Palmer E.
Metcalf, Wm. H.
Brashaw, J.
Minott, Franklin. Minott, William Henry.
Brown, George.
Morrisey, John.
*Rurrill, Abram B.
Mulligan, James.
Chipman, S. R.
Murphy, J.
Cadwell, Jerome.
Nurbery, Frank.
Carpenter, A.
Olney, Edward.
Carpenter, John H.
O'Sullivan, James.
('happell, J.
Rawson, Chas. (.
Christy, W. J.
Rawson, Orrin F.
Clarke, Elmore.
Reed, James.
Cleveland, Charles B.
Reed, Levi.
C'ule, Geo. E.
Richardson, Dexter F.
Cole, Granville.
Russell, James F.
*Cole, Wm. J.
Ryan, Edward.
*Chollar, H. A.
Ryan, Wm.
Cooney, Andrew.
Byder, James
Cosgrove, Lewis.
Rugg, C'has. H.
Coyle, Patrick.
*Sabin, Richard M.
Cummings, Jnline E.
Sawyer, Millard W.
Carmody, John.
Scarborough, Elias.
Dexter, Joseph W.
Schofield, Ed.
Donnell, E. Mc.
Seagrave, Charles S.
Duffy, John A.
Seagrave, Frank B.
Dugan, Michael.
Seagrave, James E.
Duffee, Owen.
Seagrave, Geo. L.
Daley, James.
Seagrave, Lawson A.
Eames, A. M.
Smith, Farnum.
Engley, E.
Salmon, Hugh.
*Engley, H. M.
Seagrave, A. M.
Farris, Daniel P.
Seagrave, Wm. H.
Finchon, Thomas.
Seagrave, Orville B.
Fitch, George Otis
Searles, Andrew J.
Fitch, 11. N.
Sheehan, Napoleon T.
Fitz Gerald, W.
Sherman, Albert A. Sprague, Geo. W.
Fuller, Clifford.
Smith, Chas. M.
*Garsile, Andrew J
Smith, James.
Gibney, Luke P.
Smith, J.
Gibson, II. O.
Smith, Samnel W.
Gifford, Jos. H.
Smith, S.
Graham, Ilenry H.
Taft, Albert.
Guild, Oliver A.
Taft, Frank M.
Haskell, Alber IE.
T'aft, Henry L.
Hall, Chandler.
Taft, Isaac D.
Hall, George.
Taft, James.
Hall, Stephen.
Thompson, Chas. H
Hamilton, Thomas.
Thompson, Eli D.
- Hayden, Frank.
Thompson, Geo.
+ Ilayden, Walter.
Thompson, Saml. O.
Hayward, II. C.
Toomay, Farrell.
Highland, T.
Vibberts, Geo. L.
Ilill, Ezra J.
Vets, Jolın.
Hill, Reuben.
Wilber, Daniel.
Hincheliff, J.
Wilber, Joseph H.
Ilollie, A. J.
Wilcox, Noah.
IFolroyd, Geo. H.
Wilson, Charles.
Ilorton, Andrew J.
Wilson, Hiram.
Horton, Henry C.
Horton, Jerome. Howard, Charles H. Howard, W. C.
Wheeler, Chas. E. L. White, Addison R. Whitmore, Hannibal. Wood, William.
Johnson, Albro A.
All houor, then, to bim whose humble name
Is here emblazoned on the rolls of fame.
Lynch, James.
Ages to come, and children yet to be, Inheriting onr priceless liberty,
Shall sound the praises of these boys in blue,
Who bravely fought, to self and country true ; Of these brave men who stand recorded bere, All future times in history shall hear, And bless their memories with a sacred tear.
CHAPTER XXX.
UXBRIDGE-(Continued.)
MISCELLANEOUS-Representatives to Congress .- In 1820 and 1822 Benjamin Adams was elected Repre- sentative to Congress and served his district and State with great fidelity and ability. He is the only citizen of Uxbridge who ever had the honor of a seat in Congress.
The Representatives to the General Court since 1750 have been as follows : Daniel Read, 1755; Nicholas Bayliss, 1758; Solomon Wood, 1760-62; Ezekial Wood, 1766-71 ; Joseph Read, 1772, '74; Abner Raw- son, 1775, '76; Joseph Read, 1777; Nathan Tyler, 1778-80; Nicholas Baylies, 1781; Bezaleel Taft, 1783; Seth Read, 1784-86; Samuel Willard, 1787 ; Nathan Tyler, 1789-91 ; Bezaleel Taft, 1794-97, and 1802-4; Joseph Richardson, 1805; Bezaleel Taft, 1806; Peter Farnum, 1808; Benjamin Adams, 1809-13; Samuel Read, 1814; Daniel Carpenter, 1815; Samuel Read and John Capron, 1816; Samuel Read and Bezaleel Taft, 1817, '18; Samuel Read and Daniel Carpenter, 1819; Samuel Read and Bezaleel Taft, 1820; Bezaleel Taft, Jr., 1821-23; Joseph Thayer, 1824, '26 ; Beza- leel Taft, Jr. (Senator), 1828; Joseph Thayer and Daniel Carpenter, 1829; Samuel Read and George Willard, 1830, '31 ; Samuel Read and Joseph Thayer, 1832; Effingham L. Capron and Joseph Thayer, 1833; Joseph Day and Samuel Read, 1834; John W. Ca- pron and George Willard, 1835, '36 ; John Carpenter and Ellery Ilolbrook, 1837; Asa Thayer and Samuel Read, 1838; Francis Deane, Jr., and Gideon Mowry, 1839; Jonathan F. Southwick, 1840; Otis Wilcox, 1841: Chandler Taft, 1842; llenry Chapin, 1844; Moses Taft, 1845; Cyrus G. Wood, 1854; Charles E. Taft, 1855; Jacob Taft, 1856; Samuel W. Scott, 1857 ; Joshua Garside, 1858; Scott Seagrave, 1859; Newell Tyler, 1860; William C. Capron, 1861; Scott Sea- grave, 1863; R. D. Burr, 1865; Harrison C. Whit- more and A. A. Sherman, 1870 ; Charles A. Wheelock, (Senator), 1869, '70; George W. Hobbs, 1871, '72; George W. Taft, 1873; Charles C. Capron, 1875 ; Za- dok A. Taft, 1877; Charles E. Seagrave, 1881 ; James
Brick, Orville.
Bryant, Perry.
*Mowry, Arnold.
Bush, Augustus.
Murdock, Walter L.
Bradford, Charles.
Lackey, Eugene.
Kenness, J. Keinnay, James H. Kelly, J.
Fitz Simons, A. T.
177
UXBRIDGE.
Daley, 1883 ; Michael Reilly (2d) 1885; Daniel W. Taft, 1887; Silas M. Wheelock (Senator), 1887, '88. During the next decade Uxbridge will be represented only every third year.
Post-offices .- The first post-office in Uxbridge was established in the village of Ironstone, then the largest village in the town. In 1810 an office was established in North Uxbridge, in the house of Samuel Read, on the Boston and Hartford turnpike, where it remained until 1852, when it was removed to Rogerson's Village, near the Mills, where it remained until 1885, when it was removed to Chase's Corner, near its original loca- tion.
The postmasters of this office have been Samuel Read, George Adams, C. E. Whitin, A. S. Sweet and H. C. Chase, the present incumbent. This office ac- commodated for many years the towns of Northbridge and Douglas.
In 1825 a post-office was established at the Centre Village, in the brick store then owned by the Messrs. Capron. John W. Carpenter was the first postmaster, and his successors have been Sullivan, Thayer, Thomas Aldrich, R. D. Mowry, Charles B. Rawson, Charles A. Taft and Henry S. Farnum, the present incum- bent. This office is now the principal post-office in the town and pays its postmaster an annual salary of about twelve hundred dollars, an increase of about four hundred dollars in the last eight years.
In 1872 a District Court for Uxbridge, Blackstone, Northbridge and Douglas was established for civil and criminal business, having jurisdiction of all civil actions, when the ad dumnum in the writ does not exceed three hundred dollars. Court is held every week-day alternately in Uxbridge and Blackstone ; on Mondays for civil business in Blackstone and on Saturdays for civil business in Uxbridge. A. A. Put- nam, Esq., was appointed justice of the court and still presides over it. The associate justices are Fran- cis N. Thayer, Esq., of Blackstone, and W. J. Taft, Esq., of Mendon, the latter gentleman having an office in Uxbridge.
The members of the legal profession who have resided in the town and assisted in building up its prosperity are as follows :
Nathan Tyler, Benjamin Adams, Bezaleel Tatt, Jr., George Wheaton, Joseph Thayer, Francis Deane, Henry Chapin, Lucius B. Boynton, George S. Taft, George W. Hobbs, Frederic B. Deane, George F. Bancroft, A. A. Putnam, O. B. Pond, George S. Taft (2d).
Uxbridge has also had good reason to be proud of its medical profession, for its physicians have been uniformly men of skill and excellent character, who have done much for the health and prosperity of the town. Among them are the honored names of Dr. Wood, the first physician to settle in the town; Dr. Samuel Willard, Dr. George Willard, Dr. Augustus C. Taft, Dr. Smith, Dr. A. W. Bennett, Dr. J. W. Robbins, Dr. J. M. Macomber, Dr. Chauncey A. 12
Wilcox, Dr. Wm. L. Johnson, Dr. L. D. White, Dr. W. L. Sanders and Dr. Benj. Joslyn. Dr. A. W. Fuller and Dr. F. J. Partridge have recently moved into town. It would be a pleasing task to write the biographies of many of these professional laborers of both the professions, but the space allotted to Ux- bridge in the history of the county peremptorily de- mands brevity and condensation ; so their many friends "must take the will for the deed."
Newspapers, etc .- The first and only newspaper published in Uxbridge was started by Geo. W. Spen- cer, a printer who had formerly published the Douglas Herald and conducted a small job-printing office in East Douglas. Mr. Spencer, believing Ux- bridge a better field for his labors in the newpaporial line, removed his presses and type to this town, and in August, 1872, issued the first number of his paper, which he called The Worcester South Compendium, Spencer Bros., proprietors. The firm consisted of Geo. W. Spencer and Charles A. W. Spencer, the elder brother being the editor and general manager of the paper, while the younger took charge of the job- printing, which soon grew to quite a business. The paper was a well-edited, spicy little weekly, Repub- lican in politics and progressive in its ethics. In 1877 C. A. W. Spencer retired from the firm and Mr. L. H. Balcome suceeded him ; the firm then became Spencer & Balcome. In 1879 Mr. Balcome bought out his partner and became and has since been sole proprietor. In July, 1880, Mr. Balcome finding the old name too long and desiring to make his paper still more a local organ, changed the name of his publica- tion to The Uxbridge Compendium-which name it still retains-and was issued as an eight-page paper. For several years Mr. C. W. Greene was the editor, but Mr. Balcome for the past two years has been sole editor and manager, and, with a good corps of re- porters to gather up the news, would have the credit of publishing a good country weekly. The old presses used by Spencer Bros. have been thrown out and new power-presses run by steam-power have been substituted. One of the busiest places now to be found in the centre of the town is the Compendium office. If the increasing business of the office will warrant it, The Daily Compendium will at no distant day be welcomed in every household.
The Uxbridge Water Company was incorporated in 1881, for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants of Uxbridge with pure water for domestic purposes. Its reservoirs, on Lawler Hill, are fed by springs, and will contain half a million gallons. Pipes are laid through the principal streets, and the water supply is excellent and sufficient. A number of hydrants placed at convenient distances furnish adequate pro- tection against damage by fire, and the company is entitled to great credit for its service to the public.
The Judson Memorial .- In the year 1869 Deacon Willard Judson, an esteemed citizen of the town, and a son of Rev. Samuel Judson, formerly pastor of
178
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
the Orthodox Church, desiring to manifest his great interest in the town in a quiet, unassuming manner, instructed his attorney, Geo. W. Hobbs, Esq., to pur- chase of the Howard Watch and Clock Company, of Boston, one of its best tower clocks, and ask the town, at its annual meeting, then soon to be held, to accept the same, as a gift from one who pre- ferred that his name should not be made known until after his decease, imposing as the only condition that the town should keep the clock in running or- der.
Mr. Judson also desired that the clock should be placed upon the Unitarian Church, as it could be seen more generally than if placed elsewhere. When the matter was brought before the town, great inter- est was manifested by the citizens, and the gift was accepted without a dissenting voice. The knowing ones, of course, knew who gave the clock, and many different gentlemen were named, but not a single guesser guessed aright. Mr. Judson died in May, 1882, and then, for the first time, his name was pub- lished by his attorney, as the donor of the clock. For nearly twenty years it has faithfully recorded the passage of time, and its resounding strokes, upon the sweet-toned church bell, marking the hours as they fly, serve to remind the people of their bene- factor, and call attention to this unique memorial of a public-spirited citizen.
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