History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 122

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 122

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The house belonging to the farm is the old Legg licuse, standing on the north side of the road.

Two houses that stood just back of the Axe Com- pany's office, one of which was demolished and the other removed a few years ago, known as the Gale and Farwell houses, were standing there a hundred years ago, and belonged to the old Forge Company.

The brick house belonging to the estates of Joseph and Jeremiah Batcheller is one of the old land-marks in the village. The original house was owned by Mr. Jesse Balcom and sold by him to the Batchellers.

The brick house owned now by Minor Chase was built about 1828 or 1830 by Cullen Whipple. It was afterwards owned by Dr. Pierce, Lovel Southwick, Luke S. Keith, Mrs. Kendall, N. S. Caswell and the present owner.

The brick house opposite the common of the Congre- gational Church was built by Mr. Joseph Lee about seventy years ago. It has always been kept in the Lee family until within a few years.

The Deacon Warren Hunt estate is one of the older estates in the village. This was originally the Sprague place, and owned by Samuel Legg. The present house was built by Deacon Warren Hunt about 1825. Among the oldest places in the village of East Douglas are the Old Cragin and Caleb Hill places.

The genealogy of the Hill family dates back to 1632, to John Hill, who was a resident of Plymouth Colony, and afterwards of the town of Dorchester. Ephraim Hill, who was a descendant iu the fourth generation (great-grandson) of John Hill, was born in 1688, and was reputed to be the first settler in Douglas. He built and lived in a small house a little north of the present residence of Caleb Hill. He had three children-Caleb, Elizabeth and Hannah. Caleb built the house, the present residence of Caleb of the eighth generation. He was a very prominent man in town affairs, kept a hotel-tavern, as it was then called, until the time of his death, was deacon of the Congre-

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gational Church at the Centre for thirty years and was respected by the entire community.

Caleb Hill left eight children, one of whom was Moses, born in 1757, who inherited the homestead of his father and kept it as a hotel until his death. He early entered public business-was very efficient and popular-was lieutenant of the military company, was a soldier in the Continental Army and held most of the offices of trust and honor in town. He died in 1800, aged forty-three years, mourned and respected by all. His children were : Azubah, who married Benj. Cragin; Caleb, who married Lydia Marsh ; Lucinda, who married Silas Cummings ; Micah, who married Sally Marsh ; Submit, who mar- ried John Dudley ; James, who married Sally Bur- don ; Benjamin, who married Doratha Dudley ; and Paris, who married Sarah Chapin.

Caleb Hill, who was born in 1783 and married Lydia Marsh, succeeded to the inheritance of his father, and lived and died on the old homestead. He in accumulating considerable property, which he left to his children, who were: Azubah, who married Colonel Emerson ; Charlotte, married Fenner Batch- eller ; Mary, married Jeremiah Batcheller ; Submit, who married Thos. Warren; and Caleb, who succeeded to the old homestead, thus keeping it in the Hill name for nearly two hundred years.

The Nelson Potter place was owned for many years was captain of the military company, and succeeded by Mr. Jesse Williams. He sold the place in 1838 or '40

Micah Hill, brother of Caleb and son of Moses, built the house now owned and occupied by N. S. Caswell, and lived there until his death. He was a very exemplary man, deacon of the Congregational Church for many years and died in 1836. He bought his farm of Mr. John Brown, familiarly called "yel- low-headed John Brown." His house and buildings were on the north side of his farm. After the death of Micah his large farm was divided among his six sons,-Moses, Aaron M., William R., Paris H., Luther and Calvin B. Hill-which all in a few years passed into other hands.

Benjamin Cragin, who married Azubah Hill, built the house near the old Hill place, now known as the Southwick place, where he lived for many years. The place was formerly owned by a Mr. Holbrook. Cragin was a prominent man in town affairs-was town clerk for many years-kept a store in the old store building, near the road, when it was a one- story building-was concerned in the manufacture of woolen goods, and assisted in the settlement of estates of deceased persons, and was justice of the peace and had jurisdiction in the trial of civil and criminal causes.

The house now occupied by Caleb Cummings was built for Silas Cummings, who married Lucinda Hill. The house was owned for many years by Mr. Benja- min Wilson, who was a tailor by trade, and carried on the business in a small shop near his house. The house owned by the Catholic priest was built by Dr. Ezekiel Wood about 1830, and the church was origin-

ally designed for a barn and built by Deacon Warren Hunt: The house now owned by Jesse B. Sweet, formerly owned by Charles Fairfield, Artemas Knowlton and Amory Thayer, is one of the oldest houses in this part of the town and was built by a Mr. David White, who for many years took an active and prominent in part town affairs. The house was called the " White House" for many years after his death. The house now owned by Charles W. Potter was owned for many years by Ellis and Sumner Bal- come. This is one of the oldest estates in town ; the original house was built in about 1750 by Mr. Jeremiah Whitney.

The place now known as the Obadiah Morse place formerly belonged to Fuller Marsh. Fuller Marsh was father of Deacon Judson Marsh. Fuller Marsh's inother was a Fuller, and she inherited the estate from her father, Thomas Fuller, who built the house, and was a man of considerable means and influence.

to Nelson Potter, and bought a farm in Belchertown. He was a son of Samuel Williams and one of a large family of influential men in their time. They were Wheeler, Jesse, Willard, Samuel, Thadeus and Al- pheus. Samuel built the old house on the Seth How- land place, moved away by him and sold to Jeremiah Luther. The Nelson Potter place was the original Marsh farm. Joseph Marsh, who came from Sturbridge about 1730 or '40, bought the place and built the original house. John Balcome once lived there. The first meeting of the twenty proprietors of Douglas was held at the house of Joseph Marsh. He was a very prominent man in his day, and his son after him, Aaron Marsh, Esq., had as much to do with town and public affairs as any man of his time. In the controversies in town affairs I notice that he was usually successful. He represented the town in the General Court several times. A large brick-yard on his farm was successfully operated for many years.

The place now owned by Judson Marsh, west of the school-house, was the old Obadiah Morse place, built by Obediah Morse, Sr. The first house was built by John Morse, on the right set to him in the first tier of lots in the four thousand acre grant. It was at or near where now stands the house owned by Judson Marsh. The Baxter Morse place was first owned by a Mr. Chase, who sold it to Obadiah Morse, Sr., and went to New Hampshire. The first house south of the school-house now owned by Reuben Place, was built by Luther Morse, and is on the old Richmond White place. Richmond was a son of David, a prominent man in early town affairs, and a brother of Alvah and Martin White.

The house now owned by Thomas Kelley was built by Mr. David Balcome, and owned for many years by Timothy Wallis, who married a daughter of David Balcome. The house owned by Joel Taft is the old Fairbank place, owned for many years by

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DOUGLAS.

Amos Fairbank, Jr., who was a son of Amos, who was a very prominent and influential citizen, and in the controversies that arose in town-meetings he usually carried his point. Aaron Marsh's family were Aaron Fuller ; Lydia, who married Caleb Hill ; Sally, who married Michael Hill, and who married Timothy Taft, and their descendants are now quite numerons in town.

The place now owned by Joseph Howland is the old Seth Howland place ; the house was built by him. The place was formerly owned by Samnel Williams. The honse west of the school-house, now owned by Judson Marsh, is the old Obadiah Morse place. Oba- diah Morse, Sr., the grandfather of Angustus, lived here, and his father, John Morse, was the original settler here ; this was on a lot of thirty acres in the first range of lots in the four thousand acre grant.

The first house south of the school-house in Dis- trict No. 7, now owned by Reuben Place, was built by Luther Morse, who sold soon after building and re- moved to the West. It was known as the Richmond White place. The old house that stood there when Luther Morse bought the place was built by Rich- mond White's father,-David White.

The house at the corner of the road, now owned by Thomas Kelley, was built and owned for many years by David Balcome.

The house now owned by Joel Taft is the old Fair- bank place, owned for many years by Amos Fairbank, Jr., who inherited it from his father, Amos, brother of the elder Joshua and son of Jonathan Fairbank, Jr., who was a son of Dr. Jonathan Fairbank, both of whom had land assigned to them ont of the four thousand acre grant. This farm was given to Joel Taft and his wife, who was a daughter of Joshua Fairbank, for taking care of Amos Fairbank and wife, who were aged and infirm and who had no children of their own.

The Rufus Johnson place, standing on the end of the road north of the Joel Taft farm, was the old George Benson farm, which he inherited from his father. He sold his farm to Amos Morse, Jr., when he moved to the West.

At the Morse place the brick house now owned by John McGrath was built by Amos Morse. Amos married Mary Hale, daughter of Robert Hale and granddanghter of John Brown. His children were : Adolphus, Amos, Luther, Elisha H., Andrew J., Ophelia (who married Seth Howland) and Henrietta (who married Lawton Johnson). Amos Morse had the reputation of catching more woodchucks and making more whip-lashes ont of their skins than any other man who ever lived in Douglas.

Ezra. Morse, who built and lived in the next house west of the Amos Morse place, was a brother of Amos, and they were sons of Jacob Morse, who built and lived in the old honse that formerly stood about eighteen or twenty rods north of the Amos Morse place. Jacob Morse owned a large farm, under a fair

state of cultivation, which he divided between his two sons, each of whom kept large stocks of cattle.

Ezra Morse's family were John, Brigham, Ezra, Samuel and Henry, Sally (who married E. B. Tuttle), Hannah and Submit (who married Nelson Potter). Ezra Morse's wife was Zilpha Wallis, the oldest daughter of Samuel Wallis and one of twelve chil- dren. Jacob Morse was brother of Simeon Morse, who lived in Sutton, and Levi Morse, a resident of Douglas, and was son of Lieut. Jonathan Morse, who drew lot No. 20 in the first range of lots of the four thousand acre grant.

West of the Ezra Morse place, at the foot of the hill east of the Reservoir Pond, forty years ago stood an old dilapidated house, long since gone to decay. This was right 23 of the four thousand acre grant, of tbirty acres, set ont to Ebenezer Hill. Ebenezer Hill had a son (Job), who lived at this place for many years, and dying left a daughter (Ann), who was de- ranged, and left his place to the town to take care of his daughter. The town employed Mr. Jonathan Jenney, who lived there many years and had the use of the place for taking care of the daughter. After her death, which occurred at Abel Parker's, the town sold the place at auction to Ezra Morse. Many peo- ple now living, remember Crazy Ann Hill, as she was called.

Near the outlet of the Reservoir Pond stood, many years ago, a two-story wood-colored house, and about twenty rods east of the house, on the north side of the river, stood a grist-mill, two stories high, the upper story used for a wool-cardiog mill, and on the oppo- site side of the river was a saw-mill. This property, for many years, belonged to Mr. David Walker, who ran it for the accommodation of the community; but it was generally remarked that the miller always had fat hogs. The place was built by his father, Mr. Benjamin Walker, who was one of the first settlers of Douglas. David Walker, who lived to be an old man, was a remarkable and peculiar man in many respects. Independent and liberal in his religious belief, temperate in all his hahits and upright in all his dealings, eccentric in his practices, with very strong likes and dislikes, which he sometimes carried to excess. He had unbounded confidence in Bran- dreth's pills, and frequently would say, " If a person would take enough of Brandreth's pills, he would live forever."

South of the Walker place, on the other side of the river, is the Humes place. The ancestors of the Humes family were among the early settlers of Douglas, and originally settled in the south part of the town.

Josiah Humes, who appears to be the first of the Humes family who lived in Douglas, married Lydia Wallis, the oldest daughter of Capt. Benjamin Wallis. She was born in 1748, and they settled at the old Humes place, now owned by Frank Kenyon. He was the father of Robert Humes, who was the father of

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Amos and David Humes. James Wallis, who was son of Capt. Benjamin and brother of Lydia (who married Josiah Humes), married Chloe Humes, who was sister of Josiah Humes. He built the house where Amos Humes lived. Amos bought the place of him. Capt. Amos Humes was one of the leading men in town affairs-a man of excellent judgment, whose opinions were sought on all important ques- tions in dispute between his neighbors. He was a man of temperate habits, honest and upright in all his dealings, very decided in his convictions of right and wrong, and never could be induced to swerve a particle from what he believed to be right. He served the town as Representative to the General Court, and in many other offices of trust and responsibility.

His children were Warren, Submit (who married Aaron A. Wallis) and Harriet (who married Levens Sibley).

Warren Humes, son of Amos, was born 1802, married Phebe Rich and built the square-roof house on the east side of the road from his father's house. His early educational advantages were limited to the district schools of his native town, and consisted of the simplest rudiments of the English language.

He was an expert in mathematics, and acquired a decided taste for geometry and surveying. His nat- ural love for figures made him an expert in his chosen occupation, that of land surveyor. His repu- tation for accuracy as a surveyor soon gained for him a reputation that made his services in great de- mand in most of the towns in Southern Worcester County.

He was a very great reader, especially of history and international law and court decisions, and his memory was so good that he could, at any time, re- fer to any decisions he had read with great accuracy. His business of conveyancing, in connection with his surveying, was very accurate and extensive. His opinions were frequently sought in regard to the validity of legal documents, and his knowledge of law was such that his opinions were almost invariably sustained.

He wrote a great many wills, and did a large amount of probate business, with accuracy and fi- delity. He was a Jeffersonian Democrat in politics, and had a controlling interest in town affairs for many years. He represented the town in the Gen- eral Court, served as moderator, chairman of the Board of Assessors and Selectmen for many years. His children were John R., Amos A., George, Milton, Maria L. (who married Brigham Morse) and Juliette (who married Lewis Taft, of Uxbridge).

The Wallis family was one of the first families who settled in Douglas, and at one time, with their con- nections, were the most numerous family who ever lived in Douglas, and they owned almost the entire northwest part of the town, what is now known as Old School District No. 2, and was first known as Squadron No. 3. Captain Benjamin Wallis, who was

the first of the name who lived in Douglas, was born in 1723 in Sutton, and married Lydia Dudley, daugh- ter of Samuel Dudley, of Sutton, about 1746, which was about the time the town of Douglas was incor- porated. The branch of the Dudley family who lived in the westerly part of Douglas, and frequently intermarried with the Wallis family, came from Sut- ton. Captain Benjamin Wallis owned a very large tract of land, which was divided among his children, giving them each a large farm. He lived in an old house that stood near where now stands the Aaron A. Wallis house, now owned by Elbridge G. Wallace. His children were: Lydia, born 1748; married Josiah Humes, who settled in the south part of the town, on the farm now owned by Frank Kenyon, at what is now called the Old Humes place. Benjamin, Jr., born 1751; married Sarah Thayer ; he built the house and settled near the school-house in District No. 2; was a man of large wealth and great influence in the church and in town affairs; was one of the original owners of the cotton-factory built in East Douglas in 1808; was justice of the peace, and represented his town in the General Court. His children were: Lydia, who married Mackintire, Peter, who settled in Charlton ; Benjamin, who settled in Webster; Sarah, who married Samuel Dudley ; Joseph, who married Prudence Wallis, a daughter of Aaron Wallis (he was father of Joseph T., Ira and Andrew J., and several other children); Moses, who willed a part of his prop- erty to the town, called the Wallis Devise, was never married ; and Rufus, who married Molly Paine. His children were Stephen P., Benjamin G., Elmira and Mary A. Rufus Wallis was chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Poor for many years, and was a man well-fitted for that position.

David Wallis, second son of Captain Benjamin, born 1753, who married Bial Albee, built the house and barn that fifty years ago was known as the Jona- than Wallis place, which was a part of the Captain Benjamin Wallis farm. His children were: David, who married Sybil Balcome; Olive, married Ebenezer Cragin ; Jonathan, who married Polly Balcome ; Willard, who married Joanna Wallis; and Prudence, who married David Balcome, (her children were : Fanny J., Prudence, Willard W. and Wellington).

Samuel Wallis, third son of Captain Benjamin, born 1758, married Hannah Dudley, and built the house and settled at the place recently known as the Salem Wallis place, now owned by William L. Church, whose wife is granddaughter of Samuel, and daughter of Salem. Samuel Wallis, who lived to be ninety years old, was an honest and upright man, of a strong physical frame, a strong mind, and of temperate habits ; by industry and frugality he had acquired, at the time of his death, a large farm which was divided among his children. His children were : William, the father of Frederick and Lydia (who married Wil- liam J. Wellman) ; Zylpha, who married Ezra Morse; Samuel, who never married ; Timothy, who married

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DOUGLAS.

Charlotte Balcome; Hannah, who married Fuller Marsh, father of Judson and Thomas Marsh ; Nancy, who married Alvah White ; Polly, who never married ; John, who married Mary A. Logee (whose children are Laura, George M. and Henry D.); Dudley, who married Mary A. Wallis (left no children); Salem, who married Cynthia A. Hazleton and Maria L. Flagg (he had one daughter by his last wife) ; Cynthia, who married William L. Church. Two other children of Samuel-Lorinda and Julia-were never married.

James Wallis, fourth son of Capt. Benjamin and Lydia, born 1761, married Chloe Humes, and settled on the farm recently owned by Capt. Amos Humes. He afterwards sold the farm to Capt. Humes, and moved to Webster, where he owned a mill. He after- wards moved to Southbridge, and subsequently to West Brookfield, where he died in 1840. None of his children ever lived in Douglas.

Jonathan, the fifth son of Benjamin, died when young.

Aaron, the sixth sou, born 1768, married Prudence Aldrich, a daughter of Aaron Aldrich, settled on the homestead of his father, and was a prominent man in town affairs for many years. He held the offices of selectman and assessor for nearly twenty years in suc- cession. His children were Prudence, who married Joseph Wallis ; Joanna, who married Willard Wallis ; Aaron A., who married Submit Humes, daughter of Capt. Amos Humes. Aaron A. Wallis inherited to a great degree the mind and characteristics of his father. He seemed to step into his father's shoes in the management of town affairs, and for many years, with his brother-in-law, Warren Humes, was looked up to as one of the "fathers of the town." Of his children, one, Marcus M., lives in Iowa, and two daughters in Webster.

Mercy Wallis, daughter of Capt. Benjamin, born 1756, married Capt. Benjamin Dudley, and settled at the place now owned by Nelson G. Dudley. She was mother of Samuel Dudley and Benjamin Dudley, who settled on the Capt. Benj. Dudley farm.

From 1780 to 1830 the Wallis family and their con- nections by marriage occupied almost the entire terri- tory of old School District No. 2. Now, 1889, there is scarcely one of the name of Wallis or their con- nections that live on the farms originally owned by the Wallis family. Five or six of the grandchildren of Samuel Wallis and one of the grandchildren of Samuel Dudley are still living on the territory. I know of no other.

The farm now owned by Elijah Biglow, in the Wallis neighborhood, was never owned by the Wallis family. It was settled by Elijah's great-grandfather, Jedediah Biglow, who built and lived in the old house that formerly stood a little north of where Elijah now lives. His son was Thomas; Thomas' sons were Jedediah (whose son was Freeman) and Elijah (whose children were Julia, who married a Perry; Sarah, who married Stephen A. Paine; and Elijah, who

lives on the old homestead). A little way north of the house of N. G. Dudley, between his house and Manchaug Pond, off from the road, once stood a house and barn, and quite a farm was connected with it, where lived Mr. Pelatiah Parker, the father of Sumner, John, George, Pelatiah and Lucinda, who married C. W. Potter.

The buildings have long since been demolished and the farm grown up to wood and timber. Pelatiah was a son of Isaac Parker, who settled on the Sally Tuttle farm, as now called. Benjamin Gould owned a farm and building that was on the east side of the road that leads to what is called Coopertown. The buildings were long since taken down or gone to decay, and the farm mostly covered with water, when the Reservoir Pond was filled. He was the father of Aaron, who married a daughter of Peter Thompson, and Jedson, who never married. The house now owned by Perry Briant was owned by Deacon Bailey ; it stands near the old Gould place. About one and a half miles up the Coopertown road there was once a good farm and buildings, and a saw-mill, where a large amount of business was done ; it was owned by Peter Cooper. The saw-mill and buildings have long since gone to decay and the en- tire farm, with the exception of an acre or two, is grown up to wood.

On the Oxford road, through the woods, near the Sutton line, is the old Marvel Morse place. Marvel Morse's father was a brother of Jacob Morse, and Marvel married Betsey Morse, sister of Amos and Ezra Morse. His children were Jacob, Marvel, Re- becca, who married Nahum Legg; Betsey, who mar- ried a Gleason ; and Maria, who married a Southwick. The family are all gone and the farm is now owned by the Sheldon brothers. The house on the other side of the road was built and owned by Chandler Stockwell, Jr.

Fifty years ago there was a farm and old buildings about half a mile from the road east of the Marvel Morse farm, that was then owned by Briant Curtis. His father was one of the first settlers of Douglas. The buildings have long since gone to decay and the farm grown to wood and timber.

East of the house of William J. Wellman, that was formerly the William Wallis place, and near the corner of the road that used to be called the Oxford road, that ran across the meadow now the Reservoir Pond, was a small wood-colored house, that was built and occupied for many years by Jonah Titus, who was father of Preston and Russel Titus. The house was occupied for many years by Bradford Arnold, who was a famous stonecutter.

The next house on the road to the centre of the town, now owned by Wellington Balcome, was built by Minor Morse, and was afterwards occupied by Martin Van Buren Barnabas Davis, who married a Morse. The next house east of this, now owned by Thomas Mauning, was built by Chester Morse, who was a

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

brother of Minor and son of Levi Morse. The house of James Dailey was built by Jonathan Jenney.

The buildings at the outlet of Badluck Pond, re- cently owned by John Wallis, were bought by him of Silas Brigs, Sr., who was one of the first settlers. The mill and the old house that stood where George M. Wallis' house now stands were owned by Philo and Aaron Fisher for many years, who bought of the Uxbridge Woolen Company, which, at one time, owned a large tract of land in Douglas Woods. It was used at one time for the manufacture of yarn; was originally built for a saw and shingle-mill, and, being near the Badluck Cedar Swamp, where large

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 122

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