History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 113

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 113

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Joseph Vinton, age 20 years ; 6 ft., light complexion and well set. John Edmonds, 5 ft., 1012 ; age, 20 years; light complexion, well set and to do a turn in Col. Denny's Regiment, in Capt. Green's Company. SAML. GBEEN, Capt.

To SAMUEL DANEY, Col.

Thus we observe this town sent at least fifty-three bona fide citizens into the Continental army, a num- ber equal to one-fourth its total male population above sixteen years of age; and when we consider the heavy burdens endured in furnishing bounties and supplies for the army we may gain an idea of what it cost to plant the tree of American liberty and independence ; for the history of this town dur- ing that unprecedented struggle is but the history of others.

The spirit which animated our patriots of '76 found a ready response in '61, and that early cry echoed back with one hundred and seventy-three enlistments, besides the incurring of a debt of twenty thousand dollars. Upon memorial tablets in Academy Hall are inscribed the names of twenty-seven Dudley heroes who sacrificed their lives upon fields of battle, in prisons and impaired health, in defense of that heritage of right, freedom and unity established and handed down to them by their fathers.

The early settlers experienced no very great an- noyances at the hands of their aboriginal neighbors. These had been visited in 1673 by the Rev. John Eliot, and again the following year; the object, as stated by Gookin, was to travel amongst them, con- firm their souls in the Christian religion, to settle teachers, and establish civil government among them, as in other praying towns. During this visit a warrant or order was published empower- ing the constable, "Black James," "to suppress drunkeness, Sabbath-breaking, especially pow-wowing and idolatry." Their first teacher was one Sampson, who strove diligently to civilize and elevate his native brethren, and half a century later the swarthy de- scendants of his charges donate the land upon which is built the first meeting-house erected in the town of Dudley, conditioned with a right for them to occupy convenient seats in the same.

The soil in the valleys of the French and Quine- baug Rivers is generally of a porous nature, and re- quires frequent tillage and a liberal application of fertilizers to produce good crops ; but as the centre of

1 This receipt was signed by the last six.

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the town is approached the subsoil becomes more and more of an argillaceous nature, yielding finer crops with much less labor. As a whole, this township is regarded as a region charmingly interspersed with handsome hills, verdant valleys, rivulets, fine forests and beautiful ponds. A ridge of gneiss of excellent quality, commencing at a point a short distance from the French River, extends in a northwesterly direc- tion in an almost unbroken line, and enters the town of Charlton on its southern boundary, and is quarried for building and street-curbing purposes.

Owing to the uniformly good yields of grass, grain and vegetables which this locality afforded, popula- tion increased rapidly until the beginning of the Revolution, when it remained about stationary until the establishment of manufacturing industries in 1812.

During this decade-1810 to 1820-population in- creased thirty-two per cent., notwithstanding that a considerable portion of its western border was set off to form the town of Southbridge, 1816. During the next decade the increase equaled thirty-four per cent., its inhabitants numbering 2155. During the next decade, in the year 1832, all its territory east of the French River was incorporated as part of the town of Webster. By this act of the Legislature the town of Dudley lost thirty-seven per cent. of its pop- ulation and the most valuable part of its productive resources, and received a check from which it did not recover till 1870. Its population, according to the census of 1885, is 2742. Its agricultural produc- tions aggregate a value of $155,395. Among the three hundred and forty-eight cities and towns in this Commonwealth, it ranks 130 in point of popula- tion, and 115 for agriculture, while for textile pro- ductions its rank is 22. In all manufacturing indus- tries 82.

Though a majority of the people are engaged in mechanical pursuits, agriculture has not been neg- lected, and as a consequence Dudley contains many beautiful farm homesteads. An active Farmers' Club was established several years ago, which du- ring its existence afforded its members many social and pecuniary advantages. Its principal feature consisted in the reading of original essays upon agricultural and allied topics, following by general discussions supplemented by music, readings, etc. This organization the past year (1888) merged into a subordinate grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, and is in a very prosperous condition, with a mem- bership of seventy-five.

Dudley ruralists are readers, and upon the tables of many a farm home may be found the leading pe- riodicals of the day. Lyceums and district libraries have been established, and in all directions efforts are made to keep step with the march of civilization.

Dudley Hill, before the introduction of railroads, was the centre of trade for all surrounding villages, and before the building of the Norwich and Worces-

ter line a large business was developed here. This line located its depot on the east side of the river in Webster, which side possessed topographical advan- tages superior to those of the west side. With an increase of population, brought about by the intro- duction of the shoe manufacturing industry and the enlargement of the mills in that section, the centre of trade has changed.

Owing to this fact, and that there has always existed the closest harmony and feelings of good fel- lowship between the citizens of Dudley and Webster in this direction, Dudley has developed nothing above the village store. Indeed, outside their cor- porate affairs, both towns may be regarded as one community. Many of their citizens worship before the same altar ; citizens of one town are owners of real estate in the other; church and bank officers are chosen without regard as to residence; members of the Grand Army, Sons of Veterans, literary, be- nevolent, temperance, Masonic and Odd-Fellow con- fraternities meet and labor in perfect concord, un- biased even in thought by territorial considerations. The owner of the largest woolen manufacturing establishment in town resides across the river, and one corporation-the Slater Woolen Co .- has gone so far as to span the river; and, under cover of its roof, one may enter upon the Dudley side, and, pass- ing along amid the hum of busy machinery, leave it to step upon Webster soil.

Ample provision is annually made for the support of public schools, four-tenths or nearly one-half the annual appropriations being devoted to this purpose and various means adopted to secure to them the most advanced methods of public school instruction. By a wise provision, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars, and an annual payment of one thousand dollars to the trustees of Nichols Academy, this town is entitled to all the advantages this, the best equipped insti- tution of its kind in the country, affords as a prepar- atory school. Amasa Nichols was its founder. He erected the first structure in 1815 entirely at his own expense at a cost of ten thousand dollars. Unfortu- nately, his first building was burned when nearly completed, April 11, 1816. With a perseverance worthy of mnch praise he proceeded with the work of rebuilding and in the latter part of the year 1818 opened the scoool. Soon after it was incorporated as a regular academy, managed by a board of fifteen trustees, viz. : Esquires Amasa Nichols, Jonathan Davis, John Spurr, Isaiah Rider, John Kettell, Rev. Thos. Jones, Rev. Paul Dean, Dr. Daniel Lamb, Benj. Russell, John Brown, Luther Ammidown, Benj. Gleason, Rev. Hosea Ballou, Rev. Edward Turner, Dr. Abraham R. Thompson.

In 1825 the Legislature donated to the academy half a township of Maine wild lands, which the trustees sold for two thousand five hundred dollars and received by individual subscriptions one thou- sand seven hundred and fifty dollars more.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Mr. Nichols founded this school with the view of making it a college for the use of the Universalists, and when, in 1823, the Hon. Gco. H. Tufts and Col. William llancock, Trinitarian Congregationalists, were elected to the board of trustees, Mr. Nichols im- mediately resigned.

The school now became non-sectarian. Col. Han- cock later in life gave to the institution six thousand dollars, known as the Hancock Fund, and in a letter to a friend expressed the " hope that others hereafter may do better." Joseph Congdon, at his decease, in 1883 bequeathed two thousand dollars.

But Hezekiah Conant, of the Conant Thread Com- pany, Pawtucket, R. I., born in Dudley, July 28th, 1827, an alumuus of Nichols Academy, has been its most munificent benefactor, surpassing in his gifts the most sanguine expectations of its past or present friends. The three brick buildings and their equip- ments now occupied by the school, with the extensive improvements of the grounds, have all been completed at his expense since 1880.

The Academy School building of Gothic archi- tecture is believed to be unsurpassed in convenience, and contains the large and pleasant recitation rooms, rooms for apparatus, and Academy Hall, capable of seating five hundred persons.

The " Conant Library and Observatory " contains the library of over two thousand volumes, the reading- room, the instruments of the United States Signal Service-made by Casella, of London, and Draper Company, of New York-the telegraph office and the tower for the telescope. The six and a half inch aperture reflecting telescope, equatorially mounted, was imported expressly for this institution.

James Coates, of Paisley, Scotland, has presented a celestial and terrestrial telescope of four and a half inch aperture, made by A. Clark & Son, of Cam- bridge, Mass.

A right ascension clock, designed by Mr. Conant and constructed by E. Howard & Co., of Boston, fur- nishes the standard and the sidereal time, as well as the exact right ascension of the sun for any instant. It has attracted much attention from experts, and one who has mastered its uses may be considered a prac- tical astronomer. It is a duplex, differential instru- ment-duplex, because it is composed of two separate independent clock movements, each of which will run of itself, as it has a weight and pendulum of its own, whether its fellow is in motion or not; it is differential, because the two movements are so con- nected to a third train, that a difference in their rates of speed induces motion in this third which records said difference second by second as fast as any is es- tablished.

The transit instrument and the chronographer, both made by Fauth & Co., of Washington, D. C., were placed in position July 4, 1888. The former is well adapted for extra meridian observations, and is located in latitude north 42° 02' 40.84"", longitude

west 71º 55' 53.78". The observatory is the best equipped of any in New England outside of the col- leges, and affords the fullest opportunity for practical work.

The boarding-house was first occupied in Septem- ber, 1885, and contains rooms for the principal, assistants and forty students, and is fitted and fur- nished throughout in the best manner.

By the provision of Mr. Conant the number of in- structors was increased in 1886 and the courses of study extended, so as to thoroughly prepare students for the best colleges and technical schools, and in- struction is successfully given in mechanical and free-hand drawing, practical surveying, astronomy and experimental chemistry.

The alumni hold annual meetings of great interest to the public, having a special address, poem, dinner and graduating-class exercises, with tree-planting and distribution of diplomas.

Since the act of incorporation the trustees have elected the following : Presidents-Gen. Jonathan Da- vis, Rev. Abiel Williams, Rev. Joshua Bates, D.D., Col. John Eddy, Rev. Henry Pratt, O. F. Chase, Esq., James J. Robinson, Esq., Judge Clark Jillson ; Secre- taries-Amasa Nichols, Esq., Rev. Abiel Williams, Hon. Geo. A. Tufts, Col. Wm. Hancock, Lemuel Healy, Esq., Daniel Dwight, Esq. ; Preceptors-Solo- mon L. Wilds, 1819-22; Isaac Webb, 1822-24; Wm. H. Rockwell, 1824-26; H. L. Street, 1826-28; Wm. G. Learned, 1828-29 ; Sanford Lawton, 1829-32; Wm. S. Potter; 1832-33 ; Darius Ayres, 1833-34; Benj. Diefendorf, 1834-36 ; John Bowers, 1836-37; Oscar Fisher, 1837-39; Henry C. Morse, 1839-40 ; Elisha W. Cook, 1840-42; Henry C. Morse, 1842-44; Sam'l W. Bates, 1844-46 ; Alden Southworth, 1846-49; Al- vin H. Washburn, 1849-51; Wm. W. Birchard, 1851- 52; Alvin H. Washburn, 1852; J. H. Almy, 1852- 53; James A. Clark, 1853-54; Alden Southworth, 1854-56; Ogden Hall, 1856-57; Monroe Nichols, 1857-62; John T. Clark, 1862-66; Wm. H. Putnam, 1866-67; Francis C. Burnett, 1867-68 ; Isaiah Tru- fant, 1868-69 (A. L. Blane, W. G. E. Pope and H. F. Burt, 1869; Harold Wilder and A. H. Liver- more, 1870) ; Leonard Morse, 1871-72; Marcellus Coggan, 1872-79; E. P. Barker, 1879-81 ; T. H. Daw- son, 1881-83; Fred. Corbin, 1883-86; E. G. Clark, 1886-89.

The Congregational Church was organized in 1732, and in the first town-meeting held after the organiza- tion of the town provision was made for its support, and William Carter's house, now the residence ot Deacon Daniel Dwight, appointed as the place to meet to hear the Gospel preached. The frame of the first meeting-house was raised October 23, 1734, upon land donated by the Indians for this and other public purposes.

The first settled minister was Rev. Perley Howe, of Killingly, Conn., ordained June 12, 1735; graduated at Harvard University, 1731. Charles Gleason was

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ordained in 1744, and died here in May, 1790; he was from Brookline, Mass., and graduated at Har- vard, 1738. Joshua Johnson installed December, 1790, was dismissed May, 1796. He came from Woodstock, Conn., and graduated at Yale, 1775. Abiel Williams, of Raynham, Mass., was ordained June 12, 1799, and dismissed March 16, 1831 ; grad- uated at Brown University, 1795. James H. Francis was his successor, and was ordained August 24, 1831, a graduate from Yale, 1827, and was from Wethers- field, Conn. Walter Follet was installed November 2, 1837, came from Williston, Vt .; graduated from Middlebury, 1825. Joshua Bates, D.D., installed March 22, 1843; died here January, 1854; a native of Cohasset, born March 20, 1776; admitted to the sophomore class in Harvard College, 1797, aged twenty-one; graduated in the autumn of 1800, and became assistant teacher in Phillips Academy, and commenced at the same time his theological studies under Rev. Jonathan French, where he continued two years. He was licensed to preach by the Andover Association in April, 1802, was invited soon after to preach at Dedham, and was installed there March 16, 1803. Hon. Fisher Ames was a parishioner in his so- ciety. He resigned this charge in 1818, and in March the same year became president of Middlebury Col- lege, Vt., and the same year was honored with the degree of D.D. from Yale College. After twenty- two years at the head of this college he resigned in 1840, aged sixty-four, and the following year held the office of chaplain in the United States Congress. Soon after he preached a short time at Portland, Me., and for two years at Northboro', Mass., and from thence came to Dudley. Dr. Bates' labors for the church in Dudley were attended with marked succe-s. Through his efforts its debts were canceled and the society reorganized on a sure basis, and the renewed activity he aroused in the church endeared him to those seeking its best interests. While on a pastoral visit in December, 1853, he met with an accident to his carriage, and by his exertions took a severe cold, which brought on the disease that terminated his life January 14, 1854. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. William B. Sprague, D.D., of Albany, from the text Isaiah liii. 1-2, which has since been published by the request of the church.

Rev. Dr. Bates was succeeded by Rev. Henry Pratt, who graduated at Williams College 1850 and East Windsor Seminary 1853, and continued in the pas- toral charge till October, 1869, fifteen years. Since that time there has been no one settled. The follow- ing preachers have been engaged temporarily : Rev. F. E. M. Bacheller, one year ; Rev. William H. Wol- cott, from 1873 to 1880 (he was from Shoreham, Vt.); Rev. Edwin S. Tingley, 1882 to 1887; Rev. S. C. Kendall, 1887, and still remains.

The Baptist denomination formed an organization at an early period in the history of this town and labored under many difficulties through the power

granted by law to the " standing order," but as there are no records that services were ever held by this denomination within the present limits of the town we omit further mention.

After the organization of the Universalist Society at Oxford, in the year 1785, several persons from Dudley joined in attending and supporting that organization for many years. Not until the year 1829 was there a distinct organized society of this denomination with- in the limits of this town. Amasa Nichols, founder of Nichols Academy, was a zealous adherent to the tenets of Universalism, and when he erected the first academy structure had specially in view a place to hold meetings, and made in it a neat auditorium for this purpose. Mr. Nichols had hoped to make his church and school one, and insisted that none but Universalists should be elected as trustees of the academy, and when, in 1823, his wishes were disre- garded he immediately resigned from the board and as secretary, and never afterwards seemed to take any interest in either church or school. The first step towards organization was by a petition signed by Samuel C. Butler, Tyler Simpson, Rowland Perry and thirty-seven others, directed to one of the justices of Dudley, who issued his warrant calling the meet- ing at the house of John Congdon, Jr., May 9, 1829, when the petitioners were legally organized as the "First Universalist Society of Dudley." Meetings were held mainly in Academy Hall till 1833, when the society joined with the Methodists and erected a Union Meeting-house, which was dedicated April 30, 1834. The condition of the union was that each party should hold services upon alternate Sundays. This mode of conducting religious affairs did not prove satisfactory to either party, and the following 'year the Universalists bought out the interest of their Methodist friends and held continuous services till near the time the house was sold to the trustees of Nichols Academy.

The preachers were: Rev. Gilman Noyes (1829), four years ; Rev. John Boyden, Jr., five years ; Rev. Joshua Britton, two years ; Rev. William H. Griswold, died here March 8, 1844, two years; Rev. Joseph O. Skinner, one year; Rev. Samuel Brimblecome, one year; Rev. Albert Tyler, one year ; Rev. Cyrns Brad- ley, three years ; Rev. James H. Burnham, one year ; Rev. Phineas Hersey, one year ; Rev. William Bell, one year; Rev. Joseph Barbour, six years, who was the last settled preacher for this society. For a time alternate services with the Webster Society were had, and in 1867 the meeting-honse was sold.

In the year 1823 Samuel Henderson, John Mc- Cansland and several others organized a Methodist Episcopal Society, and in June, 1829, their first church edifice was dedicated, located in the east part of the town (now Webster). In 1833, one year after the incorporation of Webster, a second building was erected about a mile farther east. The Methodists here then withdrew from the society and for a time

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

united with the Universalists, but in 1845 built a meeting-house and established preaching on Dudley Hill. Their preachers since 1843 have been: Na- thaniel J. Merrill, one year; William B. Olds, two years ; J. L. Hanaford, two years ; David K. Merrill, one year; David Kilburn, two years; William B. Olds, one year ; William R. Stone, two years ; Nathan A. Soule, one year ; Jonathan L. Estey, one year ; Erastus B. Morgan, six months; Daniel Dorchester, one year and six months ; Daniel Atkins, two years ; Thomas J. Abbott, two years; M. Emory Waight, two years; Moses P. Webster, one year ; Thomas B. Treadwell, two years; Thomas Powers, six months ; Samuel F. Cushman, four months; William B. Lacount, two years ; John Noon, two years ; C. Deming, one year ; F. M. Miller, two years; William B. Lacount, one year; G. W. H. Clark, one year ; Lewis Dwight, one year; John Lewis, one year; Charles E. Davis, one year.

For a few years past regular preaching has not been sustained. Prayer-meetings are held tri-weekly, in which much interest is manifested. Rev. Mr. Stratton, of the Oxford Church, has occupied the pul- pit occasionally.

Roman Catholics, though quite numerous in the eastern section of the town, have not to the present time built a church of their own within the limits of Dudley. In 1853 they joined with the Catholics of Webster, and built a church in that town with a seating capacity of eight hundred, since which time this denomination has made steady growth, and now owns three churches, with a seating capacity of twenty-seven hundred, in charge of three parish priests, with the aid of two assistants.

The most important and extensive manufacturing establishments are the Stevens Linen Works, which occupy the site of the Merino Wool Factory, incor- porated February 13, 1812. The corporators of the original company were Learned Corbin, Jeptha Bacon, Aaron Tufts, Phineas Bemis and William Learned. In 1817 it was purchased by Messrs. Joseph Schofield, Nathaniel Lyon, Chester Mann and John Mallalieu. During the time from 1825 to 1837, Major John Brown and Samuel H. Babcock, of Boston, were in- terested, the latter as principal capitalist. In 1846 Mr. Henry H. Stevens, of North Andover, Mass., bought the property. The first lot of flax machinery was received in May, 1846, and Mr. Stevens began the manufacture of crash and burlaps from American- grown flax. In 1855 he commenced a general im- provement of the property, building dams, new water-wheels, etc., and in 1862-65 erected the fine building which now constitutes the main mill. It is built of blocks of stone, five stories high, with an attic, each story being sixteen feet high. It is 207 feet long, by 70 wide, with an eastern extension 83 feet by 70, and an east wing 210 by 40 ; a west one, 80 by 24 feet, containing consultation and other rooms for specific purposes, besides counting-room. By much

native energy and perseverance Mr. Stevens built up a large business in a hitherto unoccupied field, and the concern is to-day much the largest in the country devoted exclusively to the manufacture of crash. The act of incorporation was passed in 1867, and Mr. David Nevins, Sr., was the first president and largest stockholder. In January, 1877, Mr. Stevens retired. The present organization is Mr. M. T. Stevens, of North Andover, president; Henry S. Shaw, treasurer, and E. P. Morton, agent. Capital stock, $350,000. Three hundred and fifty looms, with a capacity of six million yards of crash per year.

A short distance below, upon the French River, are the mills of Messrs. John Chase & Sons, near the site originally occupied by the Dudley Cotton Manufacturing Company, incorporated February 8, 1816. This plant was destroyed by fire June 11, 1855. John Chase, Esq., of Burrillville, R. I., bought the privilege in 1857, and in 1860, with his sons, Oscar F. and Frederic T., as associates, laid the foundation of the present extensive works, and commenced the manufacture of cassimeres. The business has con- tinued with marked success, and is now conducted by the youngest son, Frederic T., as chief proprietor, who has greatly increased its capacity, and built up a neat and pretty village, which bears his name. Additions to the mill were made in 1870, '78 and 'S2. Sixteen sets of cards are now in operation, consum- ing three thousand pounds of scoured wool per day, and, with one hundred and six looms, abont seventeen thousand yards light and heavy-weight goods are produced per week.

On the same stream in the southeast part of the town is Perryville, named in honor of the Perry family, which has held its possessions upwards of a century. Mr. Josiah Perry purchased land and set- tled here in 1775. In the year 1825 his sons, Joseph H. and Richard Perry, and two associates, built a log dam, erected suitable buildings and machinery and commenced the manufacture of satinet. In 1832 Richard withdrew and built a carding and spinning- mill upon a side privilege a short distance away, ever since known as the Perry Stocking-Yarn Factory, and is now used for the manufacture of yarns for rubber-shoe linings. The business is carried on by a grandson, Lemuel Perry, and the present year the plant was increased to double its former capacity. Both of these establishments are now owned by Josiah, a son of Joseph H. Duriog the past few years the business has been considerably extended, and modern and improved machinery for making a higher class of goods has been introduced. The works since they were established have been developed eight-fold.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 113

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