History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 71

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 71

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It is somewhat singular that uncertainty should have so long existed as to the origin of the name of the town. Mr. Torrey, writing in 1836, wavers be- tween the claims of John Fitch (the chairman of the committee chosen to procure the act of incorporation)

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and a Colonel Timothy Fitch, of Boston, " who owned extensive tracts of land in the town, and was consid- ered, in those days, as a man of note and distinction." John Fitch also owned much land in town, and Mr. Torrey very frankly states that to which of these gentlemen belongs the honor of furnishing the name of the town "is a point which will probably remain forever in obscurity."

Now in 1831 Nathaniel Wood, Esq., delivered be- fore the Fitchburg Philosophical Society a series of five lectures on the early history of this town. The manuscript is now in the public library, and in the second lecture occurs the following unqualified state- ment in regard to the matter : "The town was named after John Fitch, the same person taken by the In- dians, as mentioned in my last lecture. It appears he was an extensive land-owner, a man of influence, and probably was the principal agent in procuring the act of incorporation. All these circumstances combined induced the petitioners to request that the new town should be incorporated by the name of Fitchburg."

Mr. Torrey, in the preface to his history of the town, says, in reference to these lectures, "Unre stricted use of Mr. Wood's papers has been gener- ously granted me." How he happened to over- look the explicit statement above quoted is a mys- tery.

Now a few words about the " Col. Timothy Fitch," of whom Mr. Torrey speaks, hefore we conclude this subject. A thorough investigation in regard to this claimant was made a few years ago by Mr. Henry A. Willis, a prominent citizen of Fitchburg, and much interested in historical matters, with the following result : after a careful search through the histories of Boston, all available genealogical records and the Worcester County registry of deeds, he was unable to find any man of that name who ever owned a foot of land in Fitchburg. He did find, however, in the Worcester County registry of deeds a Zachariah Fitch, who died some twenty years before Fitchburg was incorporated. It appears that he owned " one- half part of about 300 acres" in what is now the southerly portion of the township of Fitchburg. So the claim that this Colonel Fitch "owned extensive tracts of land in that town " is reduced to very small proportions.

To sum up the whole matter, it seems that half a century ago, or more, there was an idea prevalent that the town was named for some Fitch other than John Fitch ; but so vague was the impression that Mr. Torrey did not even have his first name correct, for the statement in the "History of Fitchburg " evidently refers to Zachariah Fitch.

It may then be regarded as settled that the town was named in honor of that sturdy early settler, John Fitch. He lived in the northerly part of the town, which, in 1767, became a portion of the new town of Ashby, in Middlesex County. He was prominent in

the early town affairs of Ashby, and died there April 8, 1795, aged eiglity-seven years. A monument, com- memorating some of the events of his rather more than ordinarily eventful life, was afterwards erected over his grave.

In accordance with the provision in the act of in- corporation, Edward Hartwell, Esq., of Lnnenburg, on the 15th of February, 1764, issued his warrant directed to Amos Kimball, requiring him to notify the qualified voters " to assemble at Captain Hunt's new dwelling-house in said town, on Monday, the fifth day of March, at ten of the clock in the fore- noon, to choose town officers and fix the day for the annual meeting and the mode of warning at town-meetings."

Fitchburg's first town-meeting was accordingly held March 5, 1764, at Captain Samuel Hunt's tavern. The following town officers were chosen : Amos Kimball, moderator ; Ephraim Whitney, town clerk ; Amos Kimball, David Goodridge, Samuel Hunt, Ephraim Whitney and Reuben Gibson, selectmen. Under the guidance of these gentlemen the infant town entered upon its career, which was destined to far exceed the fondest hopes of its founders. The town fixed the first Monday in March as the day for the annual town-meeting, and voted that in future the constable or constables of the town warn all town- meetings.

Three weeks later the second town-meeting was held to consider varions articles, one of which was "to see if the Hoggs shall run at large for the present year." The " Hoggs " were fortunate enough to secure their liberty for the year. The next town- meeting was held at the tavern, September 12, 1764. Captain Thomas Cowdin was then proprietor of this house, having bought out Captain Hunt during the summer. At this meeting the following vote was passed : " that two miles on the westerly Line, hegin- ning at the northwesterdly corner, and Half a mile on the easterdly Line, beginning at the northeasterdly corner, on Townsend Line, thence running a straite Line from corner to corner he Sott off to Mr John fitch and others, in order for them to Joyne a part of Townshend and a part of Dorchester Canady, in order to make a Town or parish among themselves, and that the said John fitch and others be freed from paying anything to the settlement of a minister or for building a meeting-house in said town of Fitch- burgh."

This certainly shows great liberality on the part of Fitchburg's early settlers, and such a large concession would seem to indicate that John Fitch was highly esteemed among his fellow-citizens. The several tracts mentioned above were, in 1767, incorporated as the town of Ashby.

In those early days the territory comprising Fitch- burg seems to have been largely owned by a few in - dividuals, and it may be of interest to note some of the most extensive landholders. In July, 1764, Cap-

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tain Thomas Cowdin moved into the town, and soon became a leading citizen. As above stated, he pur- chased the Hunt tavern, which stood some thirty rods or more east of the present junction of Blossom and Pearl Streets. He also purchased the farm going with the tavern. This farm, which is now the busiest and most thickly populated portion of the city, extended from about the present location of Mount Vernon Street on the west to East and Boutelle Streets on the east, and from Pearl Street on the north to Main and Winter Streets on the south. He also owned the land comprised between Baker's Brook and the two roads to Lunenburg. Captain Cowdin kept the Hunt tavern for about ten years, and then removed to what was later called the Boutelle house, near the present location of the American House, which he enlarged and opened as a tavern. Until his death, in 1792, he was a very prominent man in town affairs. A few years ago a handsomely polished, massive granite monument was erected to his memory, in Laurel Hill Cemetery, by his grandson, Hon. John Cowdin, of Boston.

Amos Kimball and his cousin Ephraim, who settled here some fifteen or twenty years before the incorpo- ration of the town, also owned a large tract of land. They lived on what is now known as Hale's Hill, at the upper end of South Street, and owned from that point down to the river and a considerable distance to the west along the river, probably including Roll- stone Hill.

Another large landholder was a Judge Oliver, of Salem, who owned from Cowdin's westerly boundary along the north side of the river as far as the junction of Phillips' Brook with the Nashua, comprising what is now the upper portion of the city and all of West Fitchburg. He also owned a tract of land a mile square on Dean Hill, in the northwesterly part of the township.

Colonel William Brown and Burnett Brown, both non-residents, owned an extensive tract in the southern part of the town, probably the land between Mount Elam and Rollstone roads, and also a tract southwest of Dean Hill, near the Westminster line, and a piece of land somewhere in the north part of the town.

As yet there had been no preaching in Fitchburg, the nearest meeting-house being in Lunenburg. Accordingly, in November, 1764, the town voted to have six weeks' preaching on their own territory. Rev. Peter Whitney, the future historian of Worces- ter County, was asked to furnish preaching for this length of time. He accepted the invitation, and the services were held in Cowdin's tavern. At this same November meeting it was also voted to build a house of worship, and a sum equivalent to about $166 was appropriated to begin the erection of it. Captain Cowdin very generously donated a portion of his wheat-field as a site for the building. The location corresponds closely to the present upper corner of Blossom and Crescent Streets. The people very

wisely adopted the old-fashioned, honest plan in erecting their meeting-house, and built only as fast as they could afford to pay for it; consequently it was nearly two years before it was completed. The first town-meeting was held in it on September 22, 1766, and from that time until September 17, 1798, town- meetings were held in it. On the latter date, and for nearly forty years thereafter, town-meetings were held in the new meeting-house completed about two years previously. Services for public worship were held in the old house until the dedication of the new one, on January 19, 1797.

No mention will here be made of the early minis- ters of Fitchburg. A brief account of them will be given in the ecclesiastical history of the town. Neither shall we, in this place, speak at any length concerning the schools, which will be reserved until the portion of this sketch relating to education is reached. Suffice it for the present to say, that in the autumn of 1764 the town voted a very small sum for "2 scools " during the following winter. The next year, and for several succeeding years, a somewhat larger sum was voted for schools. By far the greater portion of the education obtained by the children in those days was acquired by means of private instrnc- tion.

Fitchburg began to increase in numbers and valua- tion very soon after its incorporation. Energetic and thrifty young men, came from towns to the eastward and settled here with their families ; and in 1771 there were in town some eighty families, and the valuation was equal to about $8000. New roads were opened, and considerable money was expended on bridges. It is evident, however, that the inhabitants were not skilled in bridge-building. In 1770 the bridges were nearly all carried away by the spring freshets, and were rebuilt before the next winter, only to be carried off again in the following spring. The town records for 1771 state that the town voted "to rebuild the bridges carried away and damnified by the floods," and also "to pay for the rum expended at the bridges."

"Torrey's History " affirms that "the good people of Fitchburg, being vexed at the intrusion of ' cattel' belonging to persons having no 'interest' in the town, they promptly forbade the entrance of all such 'cattel,' and proceeded 'to build a pound with logs.' It was enjoined ' that every person in town come and work at said pound, or pay his proportion.' It was a common practice for them, however, to vote that their own ' Hoaggs Go att Large lawfully Yokt and Ringd,' -as the erudite Town Clerk has recorded it."

It will be remembered that, in the descriptive por- tion of this sketch, mention was made of nnsuccessful attempts to obtain gold and silver from Pearl Hill. These attempts were probably made some ten years after the incorporation of the town. In September, 1769, deeds of John Putnam, Reuben Gibson and Isaac Gibson were recorded in the Registry of Deeds, leasing to Edmund Quincy, of Stoughton, their lands

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and farms (about two hundred acres in all, probably,) on Pearl Hill, for the purpose of opening mines. The consideration was five shillings in each case. The mines were to be opened within a specified time and the lessors were to have one-sixteenth part of the "hid- den treasures " obtained therefrom.

At the same time deeds were recorded by which Edinund Quincy conveyed to " Charles Gleditsch, of Boston, Jeweller," one-half interest in the proposed mines. Mr. Quincy's absence in England rendered it impossible for him to open the mines within the required time, and May 14, 1774, a new lease, made jointly by Mr. Putnam and the Messrs. Gibson, was recorded, granting Mr. Quincy further time. After a recital of the former leases of mines, etc., "in our lands and farms in sd Fitchburg, at a Place called Pearl Hill," the document goes on to say : "In consideration that the said Edmund Quincy has been at Considerable Charges, from time to time, to Comply with the Terms of the leases aforementioned by Reason of his going for England and thereby was not in his power to comply in Opening any Mines that may be in our lands aforesaid, we prolong and give him a further term of three years from the Date hereof to comply with the true intent of said Leases." It was further set forth that Mr. Quincy was to "pay and allow " the said lessors " one-sixteenth part of all Mines, Mine Ores, Minerals, or other hidden Treas- ures of the Earth, free and Clear of all Cost and Charges, Delivered at the Pits Mouth wheresoever the same may be Dug, had, gotten or obtained by any Means whatsoever." This was dated May 5, 1774. The unsuccessful result of this venture was no more than could reasonably be expected.

Nor was this the only gold-mining scheme that Mr. Quincy had on hand in this town. He laid his plans to attack the bowels of Hale's Hill also; for Septem- ber 13, 1769, Amos Kimball gave a deed, which was duly recorded October 10, 1769, the substance of which was as follows: "Know all men by these presents that I, Amos Kimball of Fitchburg in the County of Worcester in the Province of the Massa- chusetts Bay in New England, Gentleman, for and in Consideration of Five Shillings Lawfull Money to me in hand paid by Edmund Quincy of Stoughtonham in the County of Suffolk and Province Aforesaid, Gentleman, the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowl- edge and am fully Satisfied and Contented and for divers other good Considerations me hereunto Moving Have given granted Bargained and Sold and by these presents Give grant Bargain and Sell convey and Confirm unto the said Edmund Quincy " etc., " All and Singular Mines Mine Ores Minerals and other hidden Treasures " that existed on his farm which was " Butted and Bounded as follows Southerly on Ephraim Kimball Easterly on Said Ephraim Kimball Northerly on Nashaway River and westerly on Rolestone hill." He further granted to Mr. Quincy and his heirs, " Liberty right and privilege of Ingress

Regress and Egress " and to have "Workmen and Laborers Pitts and Shafts to Sink Levells and Drift- ways to make and drive up and all other Necessarys and Convenients " that might be needed, together with the right of using any streams on the said land for the purpose of " Cleaning the oar got in upon or within said Tract of land." Mr. Kimball further agreed to defend Mr. Quincy's rights to this property against all persons, " excepting the Demands of our Sovereign Lord the King his heirs or Successors." In conclusion, was the following provision, breach of which would make the contract null and void : " Provided Nevertheless it is the true Intent and Meaning of this deed that the said Edmund Quincy his heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns shall commence and Begin to work upon the premises afore granted within the space of three years from the date hereof." As we have already seen. Mr. Quincy's absence in England prevented his beginning mining operations within the three years, and, as in the other cases, the contract was renewed for three years from May 5, 1774; but the " mines " were probably never opened.

As regards trading interests, there seems to have heen no regular "store " in town until 1772, when Deacon Ephraim Kimball opened one in his dwelling- house, located near the Kimball saw and grist-mill previously mentioned. Soon afterwards, however, two more stores were opened, one by Joseph Fox, who came here from Littleton, and the other by Wil- liam Hitchborn, who came from Boston. Both these stores were located near the meeting-house.

About this time, also, David Gibson built a bakery on the spot now occupied by the residence of Eben- ezer Torrey, Esq., and he also built his dwelling- house directly across the road from the bakery. These were probably the first buildings erected in this portion of the town, which, fifty years later, was the most thickly settled and prosperous part of Fitch- burg, and rejoiced in the title of "The Village," while the earlier settled portion, a half-mile or so to the eastward, had stagnated and lost its prestige, and had the nickname of "Old City" applied to it.

Although the early years of Fitchburg's existence were prosperous, yet there were events preparing which checked, for a time, the wheels of progress. A fire was smouldering which, a few years later, burst out in the ruddy glare of the Revolutionary War.

Fitchburg, of course, did not, like Boston and many other towns in the Province, suffer from actual invasion, but she unflinchingly and patriotically bore her full share of the hardships of the seven years' struggle for freedom, and was ever ready, and, among the inland towns, was one of the first, to con- tribute both men and money to the extent of her ability, to aid in the resistance of the colonies against the inroads of the British.

FITCHBURG IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR .- In September, 1768, the authorities of Boston sent to the

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selectmen of Fitchburg, as they did likewise to the selectmen of the other towns in the Province, desir- ing them to call a town meeting, to consider what was best to be done in view of the critical condi- tion of affairs between the colonies and Great Britain, and also to choose an agent to meet with them in Bos- ton, and set forth the "views, wishes and determina- tions of the people of Fitchburg upon the subject." A town-meeting was soon called, and Hon. Edward Hartwell of Lunenburg was chosen to act as agent for both Fitchburg and Lunenburg. The records do not state what course he was instructed to pursue as the representative of the two towns.

For the next five years nothing special, of a political nature, seems to have disturbed the citizens of Fitchburg. Of course, they felt the same uneasi- ness and dissatisfaction that was experienced throughout the colonies, and most intensely in and about the town of Boston.

At last, when forbearance ceased to be a virtue, the selectmen of Boston sent letters to the various towns, desiring them " to pass such resolves concerning their rights and privileges, as free members of society, as they were willing to die in maintaining, and to send them, in the form of a report, to the Committee of Correspondence in Boston."

Fitchburg took early notice of this letter, a town- meeting being held December 1, 1773, a few days after its receipt, for the purpose of considering it and expressing the sentiment of the citizens. The com- munication was read and the record of the meeting states that "after the town had deliberated thereon with zeal and candor, unanimously agreed to choose a committee of seven men, and chose Mr. Isaac Gib- son, Capt. Reuben Gibson, Messrs. Phineas Hartwell, Ebenezer Woods, Ebenezer Bridge, Kendall Bou- tell and Solomon Steward as a committee to consider of our rights and privileges in common with other towns in this province, together with the many flagrant infringements that have been made thereon, and to report at the adjournment."

The adjourned meeting was held December 15th, and the report of the committee was read. It clearly and vigorously set forth the fact that the people of Fitchburg were in full accord with all efforts to op- pose, and, if need he, strenuously resist any encroach- ments on the rights of the colonists. The report closed with the following : "And with respect to the East India tea-forasmuch as we are now informed that the town of Boston and the neighboring towns have made such noble opposition to said tea's being brought into Boston, subject to a duty so directly tend- ing to the enslaving of America-it is our opinion that your opposition is just and equitable ; and the people of this town are ready to afford all the assist- ance in their power to keep off all such infringe- ments."

The stand taken by Fitchburg showed that the citizens were determined and courageous, and yet at

the same time exercised a commendable discretion. That they wholly disapproved of the perpetration of any outrage is shown by the "instructions" given to Dr. John Taylor, of Lunenburg, who, in May, 1774, was elected jointly by Lunenburg and Fitchburg to represent the two towns in the Great and General Court. He was instructed to " bear testimony against all riotous practices and all other unconstitutional proceedings," and also not to give up any charter rights and privileges, and to use his influence to have rights that had been taken away restored; and fur- ther, " to move in the General Assembly that there might be a Congress and union with all the provinces." Whether he moved for such a congress, or not, does not appear, but the deputies of a Congress of that description met in Philadelphia in the following September.

In October of the same year the town sent Capt. David Goodridge as their delegate to the Provincial Congress which convened at Concord and soon after adjourned to Cambridge. This Congress prepared plans for the defence of the province, and passed the resolve relative to the "minute-men," so called.

Fitchburg was now wide awake. Forty men were enlisted as minute-men and the selectmen expended about fifty dollars for " powder, lead and flints." The armory of the minute-men was in Ephraim Kimball's store. These men were regularly drilled and ready to start at a moment's notice.

The winter passed away and the memorable 19th of April, 1775, was at hand. It found the little town on the alert. At seven o'clock on the morning of that day the British reached Concord, and at nine o'clock, just two hours later, the alarm gun was fired in front of Kimball's store. In a very short time about fifty men, under the command of Captain Ebenezer Bridge, started for Concord, and immediately after their departure a large wagon, filled with provisions, was despatched to follow them. The company pro- ceeded as rapidly as possible, but did not reach Con- cord until evening-too late to take any part in the events of that historic day. Quite a number of the men returned home in a few days, as there was no immediate need of their services; but shortly after- ward a company was regularly enlisted composed of Fitchburg and Lunenburg men.

Other men from this town joined the Continental army at various times, and there were some thirty Fitchburg men constantly in the field until Boston was evacuated. There were probably a dozen men from this town engaged at Bunker Hill, and at least one of them (John Gibson) is supposed to have been killed. The last seen of him was in the hottest of the battle, beating down the enemy with the butt of his musket.

"Independence Day " was now drawing near. Be- fore taking the decisive step of declaring the American colonies free and independent, the Continental Con- gress submitted the matter to the legislative bodies of

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the several colonies to ascertain if their support could be relied upon after the die was cast.

The General Court of Massachusetts had already assured the Congress that the people of the Old Bay Colony would undoubtedly support them ; but to make the matter doubly sure, a resolve was passed that each town in the colony should take individual action on the matter.

In accordance with this resolve, the people of Fitch- burg assembled in town-meeting, July 1, 1776, just three days before the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress. And this is the answer that little Fitchburg returned to the General Court at this alarming crisis: "Voted, that if the Honorable Continental Congress should, for the safety of these United Colonies, declare them inde- pendent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, that we, the inhabitants of the town of Fitchburg, will, with ourselves and fortunes, support them in the measure."

In October, 1776, the town voted adversely in regard to the question submitted to it, in common with the other towns of the Province, as to whether the " then Representative House, together with the Council, should make a form of government for the State of the Massachusetts Bay." The objections of the people of Fitchburg to this project took the form of a report and were based on the following well-taken points : that the members of the present House were not elected with a view to any such action, and that many of the inhabitants, who ought to have a voice in the matter, were absent in the army. In other words, they thought it best not to be in too much of a hurry.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 71

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