History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 64

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 64

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RICHARD SAYLES.

Richard Sayles was born September 13, 1819, at Gloucester, R. I., situated in the northwestern part of the State, in Providence County. Here he lived with his parents, attending school until eleven years old ; he then went to live with a farmer a few miles distant from his home, receiving for the first year a compen- sation of eleven dollars and board, and during the winter months a few weeks of schooling. Out of this sum he clothed himself and saved nearly one-third of it. He was well liked by his employer and continued with him on the farm until sixteen years of age, each year receiving an advance in wages and saving a large part. At sixteen he left the farm and entered a grocery-store in Providence, R. I., as clerk, retaining the position about five years. In 1840 he came to Uxbridge and attended school in the Old Academy building for one year, having earned and saved the money to pay his tuition while a clerk at Providence. He was a diligent student, and, with characteristic energy and industry, employed his time in a profitable manner outside of school hours: in company with a fellow-student of his own age, he hired a piece of land, from which they raised a large crop and dis- posed of it at a profit, all the work of cultivation

Richard Dayles

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UXBRIDGE.

heing performed out of school hours. At the end of his year's schooling at the Old Academy he entered the employ of the Uxbridge Woolen Company, and remained with them about three years. He then returned to Providence and bought out his former employer in the grocery business, at the corner of Charles and Randall Streets. The business proved successful, and he continued in it three years, and then returned to Uxbridge again and entered the employ of the Uxbridge Woolen Company as book- keeper, filling the position some six years with great credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the company, who offered him an interest in their busi- ness to remain with them. January 1, 1846, while in the grocery business, in Providence, he was married to Sarah Eddy McBride, who was born at Bolton, Mass., October 14, 1822, at the time of her marriage residing at Northbridge, Mass. Her parents were members of the Society of Friends. April 1, 1853, Mr. Sayles entered the employ of Mr. Moses Taft, of Uxbridge, and superintended the building and equip- ment of the Centreville Woolen-Mill, now known as the Calumet Mill, on the completion of which, in the summer of 1853, he, in company with his brother-in- law, Mr. Israel M. Southwick, hired the mill, and, under the firm-name of Southwick & Sayles, com- menced the manufacture of a fine grade of fancy cassimeres, which they continued successfully until July 1, 1859. They then sold out to Messrs. Brad- ford, Taft & Co., of Providence, R. I., Mr. Sayles remaining with the new firm in the capacity of agent and superintendent, and Mr. Southwick as master- mechanic. Messrs. Bradford, Taft & Co. were suc- ceeded hy Messrs. Taft, Weeden & Co. Mr. Sayles remained with them until January 1, 1864. During a part of the time, from July 1, 1859, to January 1, 1864,-that is, from the breaking out of the War of Rebellion,-the mill was engaged in the manufacture of a fine grade of indigo hlue goods for officers' over- coats and suitings, all of the product being contracted direct to the United States Government, and receiving the highest commendation. The mill for a time was run day and night upon this line of goods, requiring sixteen blue vats for the coloring of the wool. During this period of manufacture for the army the duties devolving upon Mr. Sayles were excessive, often re- quiring his presence at the mill until late at night ; this close application to business proved too severe a strain upon him and resulted, January 1, 1864, in a severe shock of paralysis, from which he did not fully recover for several months. After a partial recovery, having severed his connection with Messrs. Taft, Weeden & Co., he leased, about April 1, 1864, the Laurel Ridge Woolen-Mill, in the town of Burrill- ville, R. I., and village of Pascoag, operating it for one year in the manufacture of satinets, residing during the time with his family in Uxbridge. May 28, 1864, in company with David A. McBride, a brother-in-law, he bought of Mr. Chandler Taft the

old Rivulet Mill property, situated in the north part of the town. After moderate improvements and re- pairs, they commenced the manufacture of shoddy, supplying Mr. Sayles' mill, in Pascoag, and also mannfacturing for the market. They continued this business successfully for about two years. On Febru- ary 9, 1866, Mr. Sayles purchased Mr. McBride's interest in the property and sold the same to Mr. Israel M. Southwick, his former partner at the Cen- treville Mill. Immediately they commenced exten- sive additions to the property with the intention of manufacturing fancy cassimeres ; but owing to the great depression in the business, which soon followed, the project was given up, and the property remained unoccupied for several months.

November 13, 1866, Mr. Sayles purchased Mr. Southwick's interest, and soon after sold it to Mr. Zadock A. Taft, of Uxbridge, a copartnership was formed under the firm-name of Sayles & Taft, and the manufacture of shoddy was commenced on an ex- tensive scale, and was continued with success until July, 1869. They then leased the property to Messrs. E. S. Bradford & Co., of Providence, R. I., who com- menced the manufacture of fine and medium grades of woolen yarns ; this firm was succeeded by Messrs. Pierce & Paine, of Providence, and they continued the business until October, 1872, when the mill was burned to the ground, making a total loss. The fol- lowing year Messrs. Sayles & Taft commenced the rebuilding of the property on an enlarged scale, and wlien completed began the manufacture of cotton warps and yarns, and continued the business for about one year, and then sold the cotton machinery and replaced it with machinery for the manufacture of satinets, which business they commenced and con- tinued under the firm-name of Sayles & Taft, until October 1, 1878, when they associated with them Mr. Henry S. Morse, of Uxbridge, the firm-name becom- ing Sayles, Taft & Co., the manufacture of satinets being continued. January 1, 1882, Mr. Taft retired from the firm, and Mr. Sayles and Mr. Morse con- tinned under the firm-name of Richard Sayles & Co. The various business interests of Mr. Sayles in his connection with the Rivulet Mills property have proved successful, as is reflected in the appear- ance of the village, its improved streets and lands, substantial mill buildings, neat and comfortable houses, all of which point to the enterprise, industry and integrity of Mr. Sayles, its projector, who, in every respect, was a self-made man ; broad and progressive in his views, his aim was to have his village and its people surrounded by the best influences, and to that end contributed liberally of his means and effort. Largely to his influence was due the erection of the handsome Baptist Church near his village, he being elected and serving as chairman of its building com- mittee, and contributing generously to its fund and also to its support. In his religious views he com- bined those of the Universalists and Unitarians; in

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politics a stanch Republican and strong advocate of protection to American labor and American industries. He several times refused public office, devoting all his time to his business and improvements in his village. He was a strictly temperate man, and a man of very decided opinions, always expressing them in a straightforward and honest manner. As an em- ployer, he was kind and generous, doing all in his power for the comfort and welfare of his employés, always kind-hearted and genial, ever ready to lend a helping hand and speak a word of enconragement. It was a pleasure to meet and converse with him. He was a man in every sense of the word, a man of the strictest integrity and sterling honesty.

May 23, 1887, after several weeks of extremely painful illness, he passed away in the sixty-eighth year of his age, although in appearance a much younger man. He leaves a wife, three sons and a large circle of friends. He was a lineal descendant from John Sayles and Mary Williams, daughter of Roger Williams. Jolin Sayles was a native of Eng- land, and Mary Williams was born at Plymouth, Mass., in August, 1633.

Esek Sayles, the grandfather of Richard Sayles, was born at Gloucester, R. I., November 26, 1753, and was married, January 9, 1788, to Mary Harris, his second wife, who was born at Gloucester, R. I., Octo- ber 16, 1763, by whom he had eight children,-six sons and two daughters,-all born at Gloucester. Amasa Sayles, the oldest child, was born November 18, 1788. and was married November 22, 1811, to Mary Keach, who was born at Gloucester, R. I., January 10, 1794, and were the parents of Richard Sayles, he being the fifth of seven children,-six sons and one daughter,- all born at Gloucester. But two of the family survive- Mrs. Israel M. Southwick and Rensselaer Sayles, both residents of Uxbridge.

DANIEL FARNUM.

Daniel Farnum was of the fifth generation in de- scent from John Farnum, an early settler at the ancient town-seat in Mendon, and a little later in the southerly part of Uxbridge.

The lineage is John, Moses, Moses, David, Daniel. His grandfather Moses was an eminent minister in the Society of Friends, whose memory is still fragrant in many bosoms. Mr. Farnum lived through all the mature part of his life in Northbridge, near the border of Uxbridge. He was the oldest son of a large family, and is survived only by his youngest brother, Samuel J., now a resident in or near Poughkeepsie.

Daniel Farnum was born with a good constitution, which he preserved well by regular and temperate habits, experiencing but little sickness, and retaining his faculties in remarkable vigor till within the last year of his life. His was emphatically a sound mind in a sound body; he was characterized for sound common sense, a strong sentiment of justice and honesty, insistence on his own rights, and respect for

those of others ; economy, simplicity and hospitality in domestic affairs ; was provident, faithful and kind I in the family circle; a serviceable, judicious and trustworthy townsman, honored with the principal municipal offices, including those of selectman and Representative in the Legislature; a reliable counselor in financial matters ; a lover of his country and its liberties ; a firm opposer of slavery and oppression ; sparing in religious professions, of broad tolerance toward all denominations; liberal in theology, and a steadfast hoper in the final triumph of good over evil. These were qualities and characteristics which in Mr. Farnum overshadowed the incidental imperfections common to human nature. He was warmly attached to the interests of the town, and was a constant at- tendant on town-meetings, the last one he attended being in 1878, when in his ninety-fourth year. Among the positions of public financial trust he occupied was that of director in the Blackstone Bank, of Ux bridge, over twenty years. He had been expecting his de- parture for three years, expressed his entire resignation to the Divine disposal, and passed away in the con- fident assurance of the life everlasting, December 10, 1879, aged ninety-five years and eighteen days.

CHAPTER XXXI.

AUBURN.

BY REV. S. D. HOSMER.

TOPOGRAPHICAL .- Auburn lies on the map an ir- regnlar pentagon in form, its eastern boundary and base line touching Millbury, with Worcester on the north, Leicester on the west and Oxford on the south. Its area covers about 10,000 acres, with a diameter of five miles in its extreme length. The centre, or the Congregational Church, lies five miles distant south by west from Worcester City Hall. The Norwich and Worcester Railroad threads the eastern side of the town, with depots at Auburn and Stone's Crossing ; the Boston and Albany Railroad runs through the western part. It has no station, but Jamesville and Rochdale depots are respectively within a half-mile and a mile of the town line. In 1885 the Webster Branch was opened, whose junction with the Albany road is in Auburn. This branch has a station at West Auburn. Thus railroad facilities are good.

The surface is hilly, though without very high summits. The water-courses, trending northerly and easterly, join their channels to make the southern branch of the Blackstone River. These brooks and ponds are frequented by anglers, and three water privileges serve manufacturing uses and have for nearly a century. Pakachoag Hill extends two miles in the easterly part of Auburn, passing into Worces- ter, where it is crowned by the College of the Holy

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Cross. From its broad plateau one gets a fine view of Stoneville, Leicester steeples on the western horizon, Millbury, Grafton and Sbrewsbury, Mt. Asnebum- skitand blue Wachusett. Grassy Hill borders on West Millbury, Prospect Hill stretches from West Auburn across the Oxford line, Crowl and Beer's Hills rise in the northwest corner. We find our Auburn not the "loveliest village of the plain." The population is fairly distributed, the factory precinct of Stoneville being the more thickly built up. Pondville lies east of the centre. The inhabitants generally are farmers whose great barns show the tons of hay produced and the quantity of stock raised. Towns adjacent have a larger territory and population, and, with the exception of Millbury, a more ancient record. Our history narrates the origin, the doings and the present condition of an average New England rural commu- nity.

CIVIL HISTORY.

Io Conacil, June 19, 1773, ordered that Gershom Rice, Israel Stevens, David Bancroft, Jonathan Stone, Daniel Boyden, Jacob Stevens, Thomas Drury, Thos. Drury, Jr., Henry Gale, Wo Bancroft, Jas. Nichols, Darins Boyden, Jas. Hart, Thos. Baird, Jas. Hart, Jr., Thos. Baird, Jr., Oliver Curtis, Comfort Rice, Elizabeth Boyden, Phebe Bancroft, Jno. Boyden, Daniel Bancroft, Chas. Hart, Jas. Nichols, Peter Buyden, of Worcester ; Benjamin Carter, Chas. Richardson, Timothy Carter, Phineas Rice, Bed jamin Carter, Jr., Rachel Buck, Daniel Roper, Gershom Bigelow, Ger- shom Bigelow, Jr., Peter Hardy, Daniel Cummings, Charles Richardson, Jr., of Sutton ; Samuel Eddy, Levi Eddy, Peter Jenison, Ruth Stone, Jesse Stone, Isaac Pratt, Abraham Fitts, Alexander Nichols, David Gleason, of Oxford ; John Crowl, Jr., Andrew Crowl, Jonathan Phillips' John Hart, Thomas Scott, William Yong, Jonathan Stone, of Leicester ; be and hereby are, with their Families and Estates, erected into a Pre- cioct, and shall enjoy all the powers and privileges which other Pre- ciucts in this province by Law enjoy ; and it is further ordered that all other persons (with their Families and Estates) living in the towns of Worcester, Leicester and Oxford, not further than three miles (as the roads are now trod) from the Place hereinafter fixed for building the meeting-house upon, together with all such uthers in Sutton that live oot further than one mile and a half from said place, who shall signify their desire to belong to said Precinct by lodging their names in the Secretary's office within nine months from this date, be and hereby are Incorporated and made a part of the Precioct aforesaid-ordered that the spot for erecting the meeting-house upon be at the following place (viz)., at an Oak stump with stones upon it, Standing on the Westerly side uf the County road leading from Worcester to Oxford, near the centre of two acres of Land which Thomas Drury conveyed to Jonathan Stoue, Daniel Boyden and David Bancroft ; the said two acres of land lieth ou the gore of land that was annexed to the town of Worcester.

The gore of land above named lay originally in Leicester, and had been annexed to Worcester in 1758.

These persons expressed their wish to join the new precinct, and did accordingly : Samuel Holman, Gershom Rice, Jr., Israel Stone, Wm. Parker, Joseph Phillips, Samuel Learnard, Israel Phillips, Jacob Work, Jonathan Cutler, David Stone, John Harwood, Thomas Gleason, William Phips, Isaac Putnam, Jo- seph Gleason, Jonas Bancroft, Elisha Livermore, Gardner Chandler (formy land within the limits), Na- thaniel Scot, David Bates, Nathan Patch, David Richards.

July 27, 1773, the precinct was organized and chose its officers ; among others, Jacob Stevens, clerk, and Jonathan Stone, treasurer. The freeholders met at the tavern of Thomas Drury, Jr., inn-holder. The

principal doings of the South Parish of Worcester, as it was called, will come in review under matters ecclesiastical, which mainly occupied attention dur- ing the five years of precinct municipality. One fact, however, deserves notice. On the proprietors' book stands, in the clear hand-writing of William Phips, the Declaration of Independence, with the subjoined order from the Council of Massachusetts:

That the Declaration he printed and a copy sent to the ministers of each parish of every denomination within this State, and that they sever- ally be required to read the same to their respective congregations, as 8000 as Divine Service is ended in the atternoon, on the first Lord's Day, after they shall have received it, and the towo or district clerks are then required to record the same in their hooks, to remain as a perpetual memorial thereof.

April 10, 1778, the precinct became an incorporated town, named Ward, in compliment to Major-General Ward, the commander of the colonial forces, at Cam- bridge, till Washington arrived. Heath, Gardner and Warren similarly commemorate other Revolu- tionary officers. Road-making, parish affairs, with the patriotic furnishing soldiers and supplies for the army, occupied our townsmen. In 1780 a committee reported on the adoption of the proposed State Con- stitution, favorably on the whole, yet suggesting their decided preference for legislative representation as towns, rather than based on the number of polls, and emphatically disapproving the proviso that the Constitution should not be amended for fifteen years. In 1795 the town voted thirteen to seven in favor of a revision of that instrument. September, 1786, " Voted not to take any notice of the petition or address of the town of Boston ;" but what the metrop- olis desired of the country cousins, to be treated so curtly, is not apparent.

Ward, like other towns, was considerably impli- cated in the uprising of Shays' Rebellion. Taxation was oppressive; Middle and Western Massachusetts was in a ferment. A company of armed men from Ward, under Captain Goulding, joined other insur- gents, gathered at Worcester to prevent the sitting of the court. Some days later, after a chilling snow- storm, the insurrectionary soldiers indulged quite freely in stimulants from merchant Waldo's stock of liquors, but detected a queer taste that suggested to some the thought of poison. Fortunately, Dr. Green, of Ward, being at hand, relieved their fears and imag- inary pains in the discovery that the favorite fluid had been plentifully seasoned with snuff.

The town addressed several petitions to the General Court, Governor and Council, and Major-General Lincoln, in behalf of their misguided brethren, who became amenable to justice, particularly craving pardon for Henry Gale, under sentence of death as a rebel. He finally obtained life and liberty through the pardon granted by the executive to the condemned insurgents. The town expressly affirmed "that the hostile measures adopted and pur- sued by sundry persons to oppose known laws were unjustifiable in their nature and tendency." These

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petitions were able papers and proved to be in the line of governmental policy.

Captain Samuel Eddy was chosen representative to the General Court in 1787, and in a long docu- ment received the explicit instructions of his con stituents. I quote some of them : "The setting of the General Court, in the town of Boston, is a matter which the citizens of this Commonwealth are not gen- erally satisfied with, as in transacting the business of an Infant Nation, imbarassed with debts, it is highly incumbent to study economy and dispatch, for which great purposes the town of Boston is by no means adapted." The next section demanded the abolition of the Court of Common Pleas ; they also asked for a convention to revise the Constitution, and that inn-holders and retailers be licensed by the selectmen of their respective towns. Article thirteen complains " of the pernicious practice of the Law, as tending to the imbarassment, perplexity and expense of the people. If the general prosperity and happiness of the people can be effected by proper checks and re- straints on the practitioners of the law, we do not insist upon the total annihilation of the order, but if upon investigation it should appear conducive to the happiness of the people, that the order be annihi- lated, you will act conformably, for it is better that a few suffer than a People to sink beneath oppression."

Sometimes the town voted not to send a Representa- tive to the Legislature. Two of its ablest men, at the same town-meeting elected representatives, each in turn refused the honor. In 1794 Joseph Stone, sur- veyor, was empowered to take a map or plan of the town, agreeable to a resolve of the Legislature. Next year the town agreed to help Joseph Stone against a loyalist's claim to certain property. In May, 1796, "Voted unanimously that, alarmed by the reports current, that ye Treaty lately concluded between the United States of America and the Government of Great Britain, and duly ratified by the Constituted Authorities, meets with impediments and delays in carrying into effect, on the part of these States by the Majority of the Hon. House of Representatives of the Federal Congress; it is the wish and desire of this town, that the said Treaty be fully carried into effect without further delay." This vote was sent to the Hon. Dwight Foster, Representative in Congress.

During Jefferson's administration Ward by vote sustained the government in ordering the embargo, so unpopular in New England. John Clark, Esq., was the delegate to the convention for the revision of the State Constitution in 1820. Fifteen years later manu- facturing was starting on a larger scale than the smithies, saw and grist-mills, home-looms and spin- ning-wheels of earlier times. That fact, with the con- struction of the two railroads, brought in a foreign element of population which is now mainly Canadian French. Church records chronicle with refreshing simplicity sixty years ago the death of an Irishman, a black woman, a foreigner from Sweden, the merely

naming the race or nationality affording sufficient per- sonal identification. Tything- men were chosen as late as 1839.

The name of our town, Ward, because of confusion with Ware, was changed in 1837 to Auburn, proposed, we think, by Joseph Stone, Esq., who served as town clerk twenty-four years. Indeed, the recording the town's doings fitly belongs to the clan of Stones, the most frequent family name from the first; the present capable town clerk, Emory Stone, having filled that office thirty-two years. In 1850 the Legislature an- nexed to Auburn certain estates, which, by their own- ers' choice, in virtue of the act of incorporation of Ward, had paid taxes and exercised suffrage in the towns adjoining. Our growth has been slow but sure, without the rush, inflation, depression and crash that have scathed some communities. Probably more build- ing went on from 1865 to 1875 than in any other dec- ade. The population was in 1790, 473; 1810, 540; 1830, 690; 1850, 879; I880, 1317. State census of 1885, 1268; the number of polls, 316; and the valua- tion, $487,421.

CHAPTER XXXII.

AUBURN-(Continued.)

ECCLESIASTICAL .- The first settlers took prompt action in church affairs ; for in August, 1773, they voted "to begin Preching as soon as may be," and planned to build the meeting-house. The pews were dignified, and taken by families in 1775, though the church was not finished until ten years were gone. It was a nearly square structure, standing more on the Common than at present. The proprie- tors' book shows the plan of the floor with large square pews against the wall, gives the pew-owners' names and prices paid. Various ministers were heard, and three uusuccessfully called. The church was formed with the presence and sanction of Rev. David Hall, of Sutton, Rev. Mr. Maccarty, of Wor- cester, and Rev. Mr. Chaplin, of Sutton Second Church (which is now the first of Millbury), Thurs- day, January 25, 1776. Eleven men and as many women made up its original membership. Rev. Mr. Hall officiated at their first communion observance, June 9th. The first pastor, Rev. Isaac Bailey, a native of Sterling, graduated at Harvard College in 1781, and was ordained here November 4, 1784. He had studied divinity with Rev. Daniel Emerson, of Hollis, N. H., whose daughter, Elizabeth, he married. His was a useful pastorate of thirty years. He died April 10, 1814, and sleeps with his deacons and congregation in the old church-yard.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 64

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