History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 105

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Dana has produced good men and true-fit repre- sentatives of the sterling qualities of New England's noble type of manhood; temperate, industrious, frugal and honest. "An help-meet for him " (Gen. ii. 18). The women of this township have fulfilled this injunction of Sacred Writ most faithfully, in times of prosperity and adversity. The social and unwrit- ten history of the town demonstrates this fact, and the development of its agricultural and varied man- ufacturing interests prove the untiring industry at all times of the girls and women among its. inhabi- tants.

Daniel Stone, Esq., is one of the old stock, born soon after the incorporation of the town; he has lived to an advanced age, a life of great usefulness ; has represented the town two years in the Legisla- ture; is one of the oldest magistrates in this section of the State; has been trial justice. The author of this sketch well remembers a case he had before him, in which he appeared as attorney, nearly a gen- eration ago, and the decision was most just, and characterized by a keen sense of the equities involved.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

There was no appeal entered to a higher court from the judgment rendered.

He has always, since the great Civil War, been a true friend of the soldier, and has assisted many widows, orphans and dependent fathers and mothers to secure their rights under the pension and other laws. He has done an extensive insurance business for many years, and is still engaged therein, having his son associated with him ; is one of the oldest of the alumni of New Salem Academy, Major Warren Horr, of Athol, being his senior only by a few years; he and his noble and amiable wife, at the celebration of their golden wedding, were honored with the hearti- est expressions of esteem and respect by numerous friends at home and abroad. At his eighty-first birthday in September, 1887, members of the family representing four generations were present. The author is indebted to him for many facts of interest in the town's history.

A son of Dana, who has attained wealth and honor while remaining a resident of his native town, is Hon. Nathaniel L. Johnson, who has been for many years in the palm-leaf goods trade, and has done a business, on an average, of twenty-five thousand dol- lars to thirty thousand dollars per annum. The palm-leaf business, in its various forms, has been a prominent industry in Dana for many years. It was, probably, first established about sixty years ago, and has been successfully and extensively prosecuted by many different individuals and firms.

Since 1882 the business has been declining, on ac- count of the importation from Europe and Eastern Asia of straw braid, and palm-leaf hats are being sup- planted by straw hats, which can be made cheaper. Mr. Johnson has almost closed this branch of his business. He was a member of the House of Repre- sentatives in the Legislature of 1857-60 and 1871, and a member of the Senate in 1873-74, and was elected president of the First National Bank in Barre in 1883, which position he now holds. His mother, Martha Johnson,-relict of Nathaniel John- son, who represented the town in the Legislature in 1835,-a woman honored and beloved by all, died October 24, 1883, aged ninety-two years, two months and ten days, the oldest person in town at that time.

James Madison Stone is a native of Dana and son of James H. Stone and Azubah Stone, both deceased. His venerable mother died December 6, 1888, aged eighty-six years and nine months. Nine children, eighteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchil- dren survived her. She was a remarkable woman, well read and possessing much information upon general topics. She viewed the last great change with perfect composure and declared her unshaken belief in "Angel Ministry."

A painting by her son, James Madison, in the ex- hibition of the Paint and Clay Club of Boston, a few years ago, drew out appreciative notices from the art-critics. It was a half-length seated figure of a

young girl, wearing a hat and looking out of the can- vas. "The cheek is susceptible of pressure, and there is blood in the veins-trite facts, when stated of na- ture, much too infrequently observed in a portrait. There is something of Rembrandt's simplicity and surety of effect in this head-it at once suggests that artist's portrait of Soskia van Uhlenburg, in the gal- lery at Dresden, as well as those more elegantly-gar- mented figures of her in Cassel and St. Petersburg."

Among those who have served the town in positions of public responsibility, as town officers, may be mentioned Alpheus. J. Nye. He was born in Enfield, Mass., and came to Dana, when a young man, as a teacher. His sterling character and excellent judg- ment were soon recognized by his fellow-townsmen, who called him repeatedly to positions of trust and honor. He was a member of the School Board for more than fifteen years, and also served on the Board of Selectmen, as assessor, overseer of the poor and as road surveyor.

He served as a faithful soldier, in Co. B, Fifteenth Regiment Mass. Vols., in the Great Civil War, and died, of disease contracted in the service, at Athol, Mass., Dec. 17, 1888.

Dec. 10th, only seven days before his death, the author received from our noble Commissioner of Pen- sions, General Black, notice, in prompt answer to a request, which had been made for the purpose, that Mr. Nye's claim for pension had been made special. It was immediately communicated to him, and his expressions of joy, gratitude and thanks were most sincere and emphatic. Reference is made to this fact to show one trait in this worthy man's character. Although enfeebled by disease contracted in the ser- vice, and repeatedly advised by his friends to apply for a pension, he steadily refused so to do from prin- ciple, as he regarded it, until he was no longer able to perform manual labor, requisite to provide support for himself and his wife.

Silas F. Lindsay, who died in 1887, a little over sixty years of age, was for a long time one of the most active and prominent business men of the town, and was always considered a good adviser on busi- ness matters. For a number of years he kept the store at North Dana, in connection with George T. Johnson, and was a leading business man of the town until increasing infirmities obliged him to retire from active duty.

Dr. Daniel Lindsay, who died in 1887, at the age of ninety-three years, was one of the oldest physi- scians in Western Massachusetts, and for many years was the doctor of the town. Dr. Lindsay and his wife enjoyed a married life of seventy-two years; she still survives in her ninety-fourth year, and is the old- est person in town.

Theodore S. Johnson, counselor-at-law, and clerk of courts for Worcester County, whose efficiency and courtesy have never been surpassed by any official, holding the responsible office of clerk of the highest

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DANA.

courts of Massachusetts, is the son of Theodore W. Johnson, who moved to Worcester, from Dana, not many years ago. Charles R. Johnson, another son of Theodore W. Johnson, is also a member of the Wor- cester County bar, in good practice.

During the last few years North Dana has lost several of its old and respected citizens by death, among whom were Solomon G. Towne, aged seventy- eight ; Orson Towne, seventy-six, and Albert Amsden, the two latter having represented the town in the Legislature, and held various town offices.

Another event, not of frequent occurrence, was a golden wedding in 1886, when the fiftieth marriage anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Clark Miller was duly celebrated by their relatives and friends at the old homestead.

The medical profession is represented in Dana by Stephen Witt, M.D., who has practiced medicine for the last ten years, and is a descendant of one of the old families of the town ; and G. M. Foskett, M.D., who is a graduate of Amherst College and has had extended study and experience in the medical schools of Phil- adelphia, New York and Burlington.

By an act passed by the Legislature in 1886, the number of polls, the amount of property and the tax of one thousand dollars, including polls, at one-tenth of a mill each, for each city and town in the several counties of the Commonwealth, as contained in a schedule of said act, constitute a basis of apportion- ment for State and county taxes during the decade ending in the year 1895, or until another is made and enacted by the Legislature.

According to this schedule, the tax of Dana was 17 cents, and on the valuation of $293,473, Dana was assessed to pay the sum of $255 of the amount of $1,500,000 State tax. A new apportionment made by the tax commissioner has been presented to the present Legislature.

In the county of Worcester, in the apportionment of 1886, each of the towns of Boylston, New Brain- tree, Paxton and Philipston, has a less number of polls than Dana, and both Paxton and Phillipston less property.

The railroad, which passes from Springfield to Athol, through North Dana, has been bought by the Boston & Albany corporation, and is now a branch of that company. Improvements are being constantly made in its rolling-stock and everything connected with it, which is of great benefit to the towns located on this ronte, especially those having large and in- creasing manufacturing interests like Dana.

Swift River Lodge of Good Templars, which was organized in October, 1873, is one of the most flourish- ing temperance organizations in this section of the State, and has a membership of about one hundred. The society has exerted a powerful influence in the community, and has been a prominent factor in the politics of the town, as is indicated by the fact that for several years the prohibition vote of Dana was

about one-third of the total vote of the town, the vote of 1887 for Governor giving Ames, Republican, forty- three; Lovering, Democrat, thirty, and Earle, Pro- hibitory, thirty-eight; the vote of 1886 gave Ames thirty-seven, Andrew thirty-one, and Lathrop, Pro- hibition, thirty.

The society has a fine hall near the depot, at North Dana, where the meetings of the lodge are held.

Another important and flourishing organization is that of Garfield Grange, which was organized in 1882, and is also located at North Dana, where they have recently moved into a fine new hall in Doubleday Block. This organization has done much for the agriculture of the town.

The census report of 1885 gives the value of the agricultural property at 8243,596, of which the land amounts to $117,270, the farm buildings to $102,095, and domestic animals to $24,231. There are one hun- dred and twenty-six farm-houses ; the dairy products amount to $10,986; hay, straw and fodder to $16,383, and wood to $11,420. Of the 11,591} acres of land in the town, 5632, or nearly one-half, were covered with wood in 1885; 980 acres of which were woodland of over thirty years' growth.

One of the most attractive places in the town is Richards' Grove, at North Dana. Here, within a short distance of the railroad station, is a beautiful grove, situated on the border of a line of ponds, three miles in length ; these ponds teem with pickerel, perch and other fish, and during the summer are covered with most beautiful pond lilies. Cottages have been erected here, and during the hottest summer days cool and refreshing breezes play around them. A spring of the coolest and purest water flows from the hillside, while for those who desire mineral waters a spring, strongly impregnated with iron and sulphur, is near. This has become a favorite resort during the summer months for parties from Worcester, Springfield and other places. A fine pavilion has been erected by Captain D. L. Richards, the proprietor, and the grounds are in great demand for picnic parties.

During the first twenty years after the incorporation of Dana, itinerant or local Methodist preachers occa- sionally visited the town, and a class of Methodists was organized, consisting mostly of people living in the easterly part of the town. Among the members of this first class were : Uriah Doane, Benjamin Woods, William Tolman aud Ebenezer Grosvenor. Among the preachers who visited the place and preached at different periods, were the noted Lorenzo Dow, Joshua Crowell and Jefferson Haskell. But it was not until 1830 that regular Methodist preaching commenced, when a small society, known as the Liberal Congre- gational Society, held meetings in a hall in the dwelling-house of Justice Woods, whose father was an earnest Methodist. These meetings were conducted by students from Wilbraham Academy, and were con- tinued in the hall until 1833, when Erastus Otis and William Gordon were appointed by the New England

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Conference to Pelham Circuit, which included the towns of Pelham, Greenwich and Prescott, in Hamp- shire County, and Dana.

The preaching at Dana was in a school-house near North Dana, which was at that time a small village, known by the name of Stonesville. Prayer and class- meetings were held weekly, and occasional grove- meetings were held.

As a result of this work conversions multiplied, additions were made to the church, and general pros- perity and great harmony prevailed among the brethren.

Although the school-house was the only place of public worship at Stonesville until 1840, the little band had grown to a church of more than forty mem- bers.

During the year 1840 the importance of a more suitable place of worship was discussed, and Elias Stone, a farmer in the neighborhood, though not a member of any church, became interested and sub- scribed five hundred dollars for the construction of a church edifice. During the year the building was completed, the money all being raised by subscription, and was dedicated, free from debt, as a Union Church, and the right to use the church a share of the time was guaranteed to other denominations. The church continued to increase and prosper until about the year 1846, when Simon E. Pike, a local preacher, who had joined the new church called True Wesleyan, came into the town and formed a church of that order, which drew from the Methodist Church about one- half of its members. The division did not last many years, however, and the meeting-house, althongh called a Union Church, has been for the larger part of the time occupied by the preachers of the Method- ist denomination.

Among those who have been pastors of this church are Thomas Marcy, Joseph W. Lewis, Amasa Taylor, Houghton S. Booth, C. E. Seaver, E. P. Gibbs, Thomas Martin, J. J. Woodbury and S. A. Bragg.

The present pastor is Rev. George Hudson, who also has charge of the Methodist Church at South Athol.

The doctrine of universal salvation was preached in Dana during the last years of the last century by one of the founders and most noted preachers of the Universalist denomination in the United States. Here was the first pastorate of the Rev. Hosea Bal- lou, and to the people of Dana he first proclaimed the doctrines of universal salvation as a pastor. This was his home and the scene of his labors for nearly seven years.

Another eminent divine and leading minister of the Universalist denomination, who served the Dana church as pastor in the early days of the town, was Rev. Lucius R. Paige, D.D., who is still living in Cambridge at the age of nearly ninety years. With an undimmed eye and still vigorous mind, he has devoted much of his later life to historical and literary

work, being the author of a history of Cambridge, and also of his native town of Hardwick.

Other ministers of this denomination who have been pastors in Dana are Jared Bushnell, Joshua Flagg, James Babbitt, Massena Ballou and John Willis.

Although there are a considerable number of those who believe in the doctrines taught by Father Ballou living in Dana, there is no permanent pastorate or society in existence at the present time.

An Orthodox Congregational Society was first or- ganized about 1832 as a mission station by Dr. Storrs, of New Braintree, and continued as such until . 1852, when, on the 10th of July, the Orthodox Congrega- tional Church and Society was organized with eleven members, and in 1853 a church edifice was built near the Common. The first pastor of the newly-organ- ized church was Rev. John Keep, who served as pastor until 1861, when he was succeeded by Rev. William Leonard, who remained three years.

Since that time the church has been supplied by various ministers, among whom are Rev. Henry M. Rogers, Rev. O. Russell, Rev. Mr. Soule, Rev. E. P. Gibbs, Rev. E. W. Merritt, who was acting pastor for six or seven years; Rev. John W. Haley served dur- ing 1885; Rev. Edwin S. Wight, D.D., in 1886; Rev. Mr. Haley again in 1887; and from July, 1887, to the present time, Rev. Josiah S. Willis has been the pastor.

The Orthodox Congregational Church and Society is united and prosperous, though not large in num- bers, and reckons among its members some of the descendants of the old families and substantial citi- zens.

Other religious doctrines have, at different times, had their adherents, and some quite prominent citi- zens united with the Shakers, while the sect called "Christians " had, at one time, about one hundred members, but they were not all residents of Dana.

The cause of education has always received sup- port by the citizens of Dana, and the schools of the town, as a whole, have ranked well with those of other towns of similar size and population. The town was quite early divided into five school districts and afterwards another district was added to the eastern part of the town by annexation of territory. There are now five schools in the town, those in North Dana being graded into primary and gram- mar, and for the year 1888 seven hundred dollars was raised for their support. The committee for that year were E. C. Haskins, Stephen Witt and Miss M. J. Richardson.

Those who have served the town as Representa- tives to the Great and General Court are: Nathaniel Williams, 1811, '12, '27, '29; Stephen Johnson, 1813; Apollos Johnson, 1823; Ephraim Whipple, 1830; Reuben Sibley, 1831 ; Italy Foster, 1833, '39, '41, '42; John Gleason, 1834; Nathaniel Johnson, 1835; John Towne, 1836; Nathan Stone, 1837 ; Benjamin Rich-

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WESTBOROUGH.

ardson, 1847; Daniel Stone, 1849, '51; Leonard Doane, 1852; Orson Towne, 1853; Albert Amsden, 1854; Nathaniel L. Johnson, 1857, '60, '71; Allen W. Goodman, 1864, '82.

Town Clerks .- Joel Amsden, 1801-04; Elkanah Haskins, 1805-06; Abial Parmenter, 1807-09; Stephen Johnson, 1810-11 ; Ephraim Whipple, 1812 -13 and 1818-28; Justice Woods, 1814-17 and 1836; Dr. Joseph Giddings, 1829-35; Apollos Johnson, 1837; Italy Foster, 1838-40 ; Frank Lombard, 1841; Hiram A. Meacham, 1842-45 and 1847-50 ; Daniel Russell, 1846 ; George T. Johnson, 1851-56 and 1859 -60 ; M. J. Hillman, 1857-58 ; David L. Richards, the present town clerk, has served since 1861.

The town officers for 1888 were : F. S. Grover, J. S. Stone and F. D. Stevens, selectmen ; H. C. Longley, treasurer ; Ira Witt, tax collector; Ira Witt and John B. Jaynes, constables.

Although small in territory and population, Dana has never lacked in patriotism, and her sturdy sons have ever been ready to battle for the cause of coun- try and freedom.

A goodly number of names of her early settlers appear among the Revolutionary soldiers, some of whom we have mentioned, while in the War of 1812 her men rendered valiant services; and when, in later times, the summons came for defenders of our flag and the perpetuity of the government and Fed- eral Union, that were trembling in the balance, the sons of Dana were among the foremost to march to the rescue.

Few towns can show a better record. Eighty-eight soldiers and sailors enlisted under the various calls of the government, and thirteen citizens of the town were enrolled in the Union army and credited to other places. Of the eighty-eight that were enrolled and went to the front, four were killed in battle and fourteen died of disease and wounds while in the line of duty. The town also expended eight thousand seven hundred and eighty dollars towards the ex- penses of the war.

The citizens of Dana, its brave men and patriotic, sympathetic women, have received most compliment- ary notices from many quarters, and the good record of the town, in the assistance rendered for the pre- servation of the Union, has been highly praised in official documents and records, State and Federal.

CHAPTER CLXVII.

WESTBOROUGH.

BY WILLIAM T. FORBES.

IN October, 1655, Charles Chauncy, the second president of Harvard College, " a reverend, godly and very larned man," wrote a petition to the Great and General Court, saying that he had spent a hundred pounds out of his estate in the subsistence of his

family; that his pay in Indian corn could not be changed to food and clothing without great los-, and asking for relief. He was now nearly seventy years old. According to Mather, "few had suffered for non-conformity more than he, by fines, by gaols," &c., in England. He had escaped from the persecutions of Laud to occupy the highest clerical position in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, with the honors and poverty attending the lot of an educator in early colonial times. A few Indians entered the college ; only one graduated.

Elijah Corlett taught in the " faire grammar school " which stood near by. Netus, au Indian, formerly of Grafton and later of Hopkinton, then called Ma- gunkook, probably sent his boy to school and could not or would not pay his tuition. He owed Elijah Corlett "fower pounds and tenn shillinges," and in 1661 obtained leave of the General Court to sell enough land to pay the bill. A committee was ap- pointed to fix the amount and bounds. It was decided that three hundred and twenty acres on the south- west boundary of what is now Westborough would be the proper amount of land, and the consent of the Indians at Hassanamisco, as to the location of the grant, was obtained. Netus led the attack on the house of Thomas Eames, of Framingham, in Kiug Philip's War, and with ten other Hopkinton Indians killed Mrs. Eames and three or four of the children. He was killed himself, at Marlborough, March 27, 1676.

It is possible that President Chauncy had heard of the beautiful lake which now bears his name, the attractive meadows in the valley of the Assabet, and the valuable " seader swamps," from the Iudian pu- pils who came from this part of the Province.

About fifty Indians lived in each of the three towns established by Eliot in this vicinity. The Ockoocan- gansett plantation, of Marlborough ; the Magunkooks, of Hopkinton; and the plantation of Hassanamisco, now Grafton, surrounded Westborough on three sides. Their Indians doubtless fished in our ponds aud streams and camped on the shores of Lake Chauncy. At least one Indian had a wigwam and apple-orchard there.

The General Court granted the petition of Presi- dent Chauncy, by giving him not the cash he so much desired, but five hundred acres of wild land. The commissioners, as was customary in such cases, doubtless allowed him to choose any land not already granted, and made the following report :

Whereus, John Stone and Andrew Belcher were appointed to lay out a farm for Mr. Charles Chauncy, President of Harvard College, we have gone and looked on a place, and there is taken up a tract of land bounded on this manner : on the east by a little swampe, neare an In- dian wigwam, with an orchard of apple-trees, belonging to the wigwam, a playne joyning to the swampe, the playne runing to a great Pund, and from thence to Assebeth River; and this line is circular on the north side ; the south line runing to the south side of a piece of mead- ow called Jacob's Meadow, and so to continue till it reach to said Asse- beth River.

18, 8, 1650.

ANDREW BELCHER.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The following year the General Court revoked this grant, finding that it was included in the grant to the Marlborough proprietors, and gave Mr. Chauncy five hundred acres northeast of the Merrimac, with his expenses for laying out the former farm.

Although President Chauncy owned this grant only one year, he has given his name to the largest and most beautiful sheet of water in the town. The Reform School, its successor, the Lyman School for Boys, and the Insane Asylum, overlooking Lake Chauney, prove that the Commonwealth has recog- mized the vicinity as one of the most desirable and attractive localities in the State.

The part of Marlborough now included in the towns of Westborough and Northborough was called Chauncy until its incorporation in 1717, and the plan now in the archives of the State is inscribed,-

A Plot of ye Westerly part of Marlborough called Cbancy, as bounded and set off by ye town of Marlborough to make a Precinct, In which is contained Fay's Farm, Caleb Rice's Farm and Coram Farm. Together with some land allowed to be added to ye westerly part of Marlborough by the Hon. Committee Appointed by ye Genl. Court in a Former Session to view and make report of ye said land unto ye sd Court The Complement of the whole is 16, 182 acres.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464