USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 7
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John Wilson.
James Flagg.
Israel Taft.
Daniel Fisher.
Michael Bond.
Thomas Marshal Baker.
Benjamin Stewart, Jr.
John Watkins.
After the close of the French War the public mind of the Massachusetts Province became so soon agi- tated concerning the relations of the colonies with the mother country, and actual hostilities broke out after so short an interval of peace, that the small communities into which the province was divided had little time to shake off the burdens of one season of hostilities before they were called upon to enter upon another with burdens largely increased and much longer continued. It is not necessary to state in detail in this narrative the expressions of patriot- ism made at various times by the town in sustaining the measures proposed by the Boston Committee of Correspondence and of the enthusiasm with which Upton, in common with other towns, strengthened the arms and intensified the will of that committee in their advancing march towards a Revolution. Let a single extract from the town records suffice. On the 26th of March, 1770, at a town-meeting held for the pur- pose of considering the condition of public affairs, it was-
Resolved, That we will treat with contempt all those persons that do continue to import gooda from Great Britain contrary to the ooo-impor- tation agreement, and that we will look upon such men with detesta- tion, who, for the sake of their own private interest, are willing to re- duce their posterity and their country to e state of abject slavery.
Resolved, That we will not purchase or drink any foreign teas until the revenue acts are repealed, and that we will discountenance io our families the wearing of or using any foreign superfluities, and that we will use every lawful method in our power to encourage our own manu- factures.
As far as can be ascertained from the records at the State-House, the following lists include the names of men who represented Upton in the military service during the war.
On the 19th of April, 1775, after the news of the battle of Lexington had been received, the following Upton men marched to Roxbury in the company of Captain Rohert Taft, attached to the regiment of Colonel Silas Wheelock :
Robert Taft, captain. William Fisk, Ist lieutenant. Daniel Boyden, 2d lieutenant. David Nelson, sergeant. Benjamin Sadler, sergeant. Ebenezer Walker, sergeant. Micah Bates, corporal. Matthew Taft, corporal. Benjamin Fisk, corporal. Jonas Warren, Jr., corporal. Amos Wood. Henderson Walker, Jr.
Absalom Forhea.
Jonathan Dwight.
Josiah Tenney.
Jason Batherick.
John Morse.
Seth Sadler.
Wilson Rawson.
Daniel Fisk.
Jonathan Rawson.
Elisha Wood.
Solomon Taft. Samuel Lackey.
Daniel Wood.
Thomas Nelson.
Edward Forbes.
Wm. Putnam.
Thomas Baros.
Ephraim Whitney.
Benjamin Batcheller.
Artemas Rawson.
Joslina Felt.
Jonathan Batcheller.
Eliphulet Felt.
On the 20th of April, 1775, the day after the battle of Lexington, the following men marched from Upton to Roxbury in the company of Captain Stephen Sadler, attached to the regiment of Colonel Silas Wheelock :
Stephen Sadler, captaio.
Samuel Wood.
Benjamin Farrar, lieutenant. Ebenezer Wood.
Asa Hazeltine, sergeant. David Warren Leland.
Levi Legg, sergeant. Josiah Flagg.
Sherebiah Baker, sergeant.
Peter Holbrook.
Timothy Fisher, corporal.
Aaron Hayward.
Perria Batcheller, corporal.
IIezekiah Learned.
Benjamin Cotter, corporal.
Abraham Ball.
Jonathan Gay, fifer.
Nathan Brackett.
James Torrey.
Samuel Brackett.
Jonathan Roft.
Thomas Wilson.
Jonas Warren.
Joha Long.
Jonathan Evaos.
Abraham Boyd.
The following men enlisted for three months in August, 1775, in the company of Captain David Batcheller, attached to the regiment of Colonel Jo- seph Read:
Benjamin Farrar, lieutenant.
Samuel Brackett.
Robert Taft, lieutenant. Increase Daniela.
Sherebiah Baker, sergeant. Wm. Daniels.
Thomas Barnes, sergeant. Absalom Forbes.
Abuer Stanford, corporal.
Edward Forbes.
Benjamin Clemons, corporal.
Ichabod Fisher.
Eliphalet Felt, corporal.
James Flagg.
Amos Wood.
Joshua Felt.
Jason Batherick.
Jonathan Gay.
Benjamin Batcheller.
Aaroo Hayward.
Peter Brown.
Hezekiah Learned.
Benjamin Balch.
Heury Chase.
Charles Hudsoo.
Moses Haven.
Nathan Nelson.
Wm. Legg.
Josiah Torrey.
Benjamin Powers.
Joseph Wood.
Joba Wood.
Thomas Wilson.
Daniel Wood.
lIenderson Walker.
Jonathan Wright.
Nathan Brackett.
The other enlistments in 1775 were Joseph Smith in the company of Captain Edward Crafts, and Joshua Felt and Jonathan Gay in the company of Captain Ezra Badlam, both companies being attached to the artillery regiment commanded by Colonel Richard Gridley, and also Joshua Tenney in the company of Captain Isaac Bolster, of Sutton.
The only enlistments in 1776, so far as the records show were those of Peter Holbrook, James Torrey, Benjamin Batcheller and Samuel Wright in the com- pany of Captain Benjamin Richardson, attached to the regiment of Colonel Nicholas Dike, engaged for three months in service at Dorchester.
The following enlisted in 1777 in the company of Captain Robert Taft, for a service not stated in the records :
Robert Taft, captain.
Thomas Nelson.
Thomas M. Baker, lieutenant.
Thomas Bardis.
Asa Hazeltine, lieutenant.
Euoch Batcheller.
910
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Daniel Kelley, sergeant.
Matthew Tuft.
The following were drafted in 1778 for nine months' service :
Edward Forbes. Isanc Johns.
Abraham Forbes. Ebenezer Buck.
The following recruits entered the Continental Army in 1778, under the command of Capt. Benja- min Farrar :
Benjamin Farrar, capt. Peletiah Harmon.
Jonathan Gay.
William Harmon.
Abner Stanford. Timothy Berry.
Jason Batherick. Abner Harmon.
Timothy Batberick. Humphrey Tyler.
Jotham Forbes.
Thomas Libby.
Joel Bolster. Joseph Waterhouse.
John Green. Bobert Dudge.
Joho Sullivan.
Jonathan Thomas.
John Perry. Thomas Middleton.
Prince Hazeltine.
Robert Shillingsfurd.
John Hopkins.
John Sadler.
Nathaniel Milliken.
Cato Fortunatos.
The following marched to Claverick, on the Hudson River, in 1779, in the company of Capt. Thomas Mar- shal Baker, attached to the regiment of Col. James Denney :
Thomas M. Baker, capt.
Joseph Hayward.
Eliphalet Stearns, lieut. William Johnson.
Increase Thayer, lieut. Grindall Keith.
Frederick Taft, sergt. Jesse Morse.
Jonathan Bacon, sergt.
Jesse Marsh.
John Brown, sergt.
Samnel Maynard,
Nathaniel Torrey, corp.
John Whitney, corp.
Baxter Hall, corp.
Joseph Daniels, corp.
Thompson Rawson.
Edward Forbes, drummer.
Benjamin Spooner.
Benjamiu Spear.
Amasa Aldrich.
Sylvanns Scott.
Francis Boon.
Benjamin Batcheller.
Sanmiel Clemons.
Thomas Streight.
Benjamin Cary.
Joseph Torrey.
John Darling.
Amos Thayer.
Peleg Darling.
Comfort Eddy.
Nathaniel Fisk.
John Flagg. Timothy Wood.
Edward Hunt.
Silas Holbrook.
Jonathan Wright. Nathan Nelson.
Peter Holbrook.
Caleb Lamb.
Other enlistments in 1779 were Ezra Keys and Grindley Jackson, for two months in Rhode Island, in the company of Capt. Thomas Fisk and regiment of Col. Nathan Tyler ; James Lackey, Jeremiah Batch- eller, Abiel Taylor and Wm. Patten, under Capt. William Henry, for service at Castle and Governor's Islands; and, James Johnson, for the Continental Army.
The following marched to Rhode Island, in July, 1780, in Capt. Thomas Marshal Baker's company and Col. Nathan Tyler's regiment :
Thomas M. Baker, capt. Joseph Jackson.
Robert Taft, lient. Abram Knowlton.
Daniel Boyden, lient. Samuel Lackey.
Benjamin Sadler, sergt. James Lackey.
Solomon Taft, sergt. John Morse.
Timothy Fisher, sergt. Alvin Mouroe.
Daniel Wood, sergt. Nehemiah Moore.
Simeon Holbrook, corp. Paul Nelsoo.
Benjamin l'atten, sergeant.
Joseph Sadler, Jr.
Benjamin ('lemons, sergeant.
Jolin Morse.
Joonthan Warren, sergeant.
Hezekiah Wood.
Ebenezer Walker, Jr.
Stephen Nelson, corporal. Daniel Wood, corporal.
Francis Boon, corporal.
Thomas Forbush, corporal.
Oliver Whitney.
Elijah Warren, fifer.
Josinh Torrey.
Edward Forbes, drummer.
Benjamin Wood.
Benjamin Farrar.
Wilson Rawson, Jr.
Ephraim Whitney.
Aaron Hayward.
Daniel Fisk.
Joseph Patteu.
Daniel Boyden.
Joshua llicks.
Jonas Warren (3d).
Jonathan Evans.
Enoch Forbush.
Simeon Holbrook.
Isaac Nelson.
Elisha Wood.
The following enlisted in Capt. Nelson's company in 1777 :
Thomas Forbush.
Josiah Flagg.
Aaron Ilayward.
Joshua Tenney.
Matthew Taft.
Eleznr Flagg.
Jonathan Warren.
Stephen Warren.
Ebenezer Walker. Jason Harrington.
Ebenezer Taft.
Jolin Morse.
William Hall.
Levi Legg.
The other enlistments in 1777 were Jona. Wright, Samnel Brackett, Lieut. -- Long, Samuel Munroe, Frederick Nelson and Lieut. John Nelson, with an- other whose name cannot be deciphered, in Capt. Baldwin's company ; and Benjamin Brigham, James Johnson, Prince Hazeltine, Abner Stanford (cor- poral), John Perry (sergeant), and John Green (sergeant), who enlisted in the Continental Army for three years.
The following enlisted for service in Rhode Island, in 1778, in Capt. Thomas Marshal Baker's company, attached to the regiment of Col. Benjamin Hawes :
John Darling, sergt.
Elijah Nelson.
Jacob White, sergt.
Benjamin Batcheller.
Daniel Wood, sergt.
Elisha Thompson.
Oliver Fisher, corp.
Gershom Twichel.
John Warfield, corp.
John Nelson.
Joel Turner, corp.
Pelotiah Gibbs.
Jeptha Clark, drummer.
Ebenezer Walker.
David Ellis, fifer.
Stephen Kilborn.
Jonathan Wright.
Seth Thompson.
William Putnam.
David Ward.
Jobn Flagg.
Hezekiah Wood.
Jonathan Evans.
Perrin Batcheller.
Grindley Jackson.
David Wheelock.
Nehemiah Nelson.
Jonas Warner. William Potter.
David French.
Benjamin Perham.
Sammel Twist.
Ichabod Albee.
Joshua Thayer.
Ebenezer Taft.
Joshua Sprague.
George Taft.
Thomas Nelson.
Jossph Laurence.
Joseph Johnson. Simeon Lesnre.
Samuel Warfield. Jesse Chapin.
Joshua Daniels. Grindall Taft.
William Fuller.
William Boyes.
Samuel Washburn.
Samuel Lackey.
William Bower. Jonas Twichell.
Samuel Brackett.
The following served at Dorchester three months in the company of Capt. Mark Chase, commanded by Col. Nathan Sparhawk :
Stephen Nelson. Ebenezer Tuft.
Baruck Bolster. Eleazur Flagg.
Stephen Nelson. John Pickering.
Samuel Løsure, fifer.
Elijah Stearns. Solomon Stockwell.
Noah Tytus. Antipas White.
William Hall.
Abner Palmer. Stephen Child.
911
UPTON.
William Putnam, corp.
Benjamin Potter.
Silas Warren, corp.
Jacob Perham.
Seth Sadler, corp.
Matthew Taft.
Amos Wood, corp.
David Taft.
Ezra Wood, corp.
Joshua Tenney.
Nathan Brackett.
Stephen Temple.
Samuel Wood.
Enoch Batcheller. Elisha Bradish.
Jonathan Wright.
Jason Batherick.
John Wood.
Benjamin Clemons.
Amos Whitney.
Ebenezer Forbush.
Daniel Warren.
Jacob Fisk.
Ezra Whitney.
Stephen Warren.
Samuel Goldthwaight. Nathaniel Gould.
Nahum Warren.
Joseph Hill.
Joseph Wood.
The following enlisted in 1780 for six months' ser- vice at West Point :
Joseph Sadler.
Joel Bolster.
John Brown.
Nathaniel Hynes.
Elijah Nelson.
Asa Evans.
William Potter.
Joseph Batcheller.
Josiah Nelson, Jr.
Jeremiah Batcheller.
Jotham Forbes.
Others enlisting in 1780 were Samuel Laftin and Jacob Beyer, in the Continental Army.
The following enlisted for three months in 1781, in the company of Capt. Reuben Davis and regiment of Col. Luke Drury :
Joseph Jackson, corp. Stephen Temp'e.
Asa Evans.
Panl Nelson.
William Patten.
The only other enlistment in 1781 was that of Abner Warren for four months in Captain Joseph Eliot's company and Colonel William Thomas' regi- ment.
After the declaration of peace, little else was at first considered by the people of the town beside the best means of meeting the pecuniary liabilities in- curred during the exigencies of the war and of pnt- ting the town once more on the road to prosperity. The excitement attending the Shays' Rebellion dis- turbed, for a time, the public mind, but was allayed as suddenly as it rose. For many years the industry of the town was confined to agriculture; but, with the exception of the products of the dairy, the crops were held for home consumption, and furnished the farmer with little more than the means of support. In later years the growth of the shoe business in New England was shared by the town, and for a time seemed well-rooted and permanently estab- lished. At various times John Hill, Daniel Nelson, Josiah Pease, Jr., Adams Batcheller, Adam Whee- lock, Reuben Eames, Millet Baker, Newton Warren, Amos Batcheller, Asa Wood, Eli Warren, Daniel W. Batcheller, Eli W. Batcheller, D. G. Rawson and Tyler Rawson engaged in the manufacture; but in Upton, as in many other small towns, the shoe busi- ness has been destroyed by the tide of centralization which has given to larger towns, with better facili- ties for obtaining labor, a rapid growth both in pop- ulation and wealth. The absence of railroad com- munication with the world has had its effect,-an
effect which is now sought to be repaired by the construction of a line from Worcester through the westerly part of the town to Milford or some other adjacent point.
The tannery business, too, -once an important industry,-has disappeared with the shoe business, and, with the exception of the saw-mill and box- factory of L. W. Hill & Son, at West Upton, and the saw and grist-mills of P. P. Taft, E. C. Fisk, L. & H. Chase and others, the chief industry of the town is the manufacture of straw hats and bonnets. This business is conducted by three concerns,-Windsor Chamberlin, who makes ladies' hats and bonnets, Benson & Nelson, whose product is men's and boys' hats, and William Knowlton & Sons, at West Upton, about a mile from the centre, who are largely en- gaged in the manufacture of ladies' bats and bonnets. The plant of the Knowltons is a valuable one; its buildings are large, heated by steam and lighted by electricity, and a large number of hands are em- ployed in turning out an annual product largely in excess of that of any other straw-mill in the country. The career of William Knowlton, the founder of this mill, is worthy of record in this narrative. He was born in Boston, June 29, 1809, and died in Upton, July, 1886. His parents attended the church over which Dr. Lowell was pastor, whose pulpit is now occupied by Dr. Bartol, and the impressions made by that distinguished clergyman on bis youthful mind found their fruit in the later years of his life, when, out of the abundance of his store, he built a church, and gave it to the Unitarian Society of his adopted town. After the death of his father in Hopkinton, where he had removed from Boston with his family, he was, at the age of about twelve years, placed in the family of John Holmes, of Hopkinton, soon after which he was apprenticed to James Bowker, who was a farmer and cooper. At the age of twenty he bought a year's time, and went to Northbridge to learn the trade of bottoming shoes, and at the end of a year found his way to Upton, and entered the em- ploy of Asa Wood, a shoe manufacturer. In 1832 he entered the store of Lyman Stoddard, of Upton, who kept a country store, and bought and sold straw braids made in the families of Upton and its neigh- borhood. While engaged in this business he at- tracted the attention of Colonel Elijah Stoddard, an older brother of Lyman, and Mr. Stoddard proposed to him a partnership in the straw business in which he was engaged. In 1833, at the age of twenty-four, the partnership of Stoddard & Knowlton began the business of a conntry store, to which were added the purchase of domestic straw braids and the manufac- ture of straw bonnets. The partnership continued until 1836, when Mr. Knowlton moved to West Upton, and, in partnership with William Legg, car- ried on the manufacture of ladies' goods in both for- eign and domestic braids. Joseph S. Farnum, of Upton, succeeded Mr. Legg in the partnership, but
Jonas Warren,
Samuel Forbush.
1
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
after a year left the firm, and Mr. Knowlton contin- ued the business alone until his sons were old enough to enter the partnership. The four sons-William, Edwin F., George W. and Ebenezer F. Knowlton --- since the death of their father, have conducted the business. The firm has salesrooms in New York, which are under the management of Edwiu F. Knowlton.
Notwithstanding the engrossing cares of business, Mr. Knowlton felt a deep interest in the publie wel- fare, and found time to make himself useful in its promotion. He represented the Fourth Representa- tive District of Worcester County, consisting of the towns of Northbridge and Upton, in 1868 and 1872, and was a member of the Senate in 1878 and 1879. In 1880 he was a delegate to the Republican Na- tional Convention, and was a trustee and patron of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. He was also a director in the First National Bank in Mil- ford, and held other positions of responsibility and trust.
Up to the time of the War of the Rebellion little occurred in the life of Upton worthy of record in this narrative, except what has been already incidentally referred to. In that war, as in the French and Revo- lutionary Wars, the town performed a creditable work. On the 11th of June, 1861, the town appro- priated 82000 for the families of volunteers, and on the 3d of March, 1862, $1500 for the same purpose. On the 21st of July, 1862, the town voted to pay a bounty of $100 to any volunteer enlisting after that date, and March 7, 1864, it appropriated $4000 for further aid to families of the soldiers. On the 8th of August, 1864, it voted to pay $125 in gold to any vol- unteer in the service. The writer finds on the books of the town, and on the records of the adjntant-gene- ral, the names of the following volunteers credited to the quota of the town. Many of those whose names are included in the following list enlisted more than once : Third Battalion of Rifles (three months).
Harry T. Bradish.
Silas R. Dann.
Win. H. Aldrich.
Seventh Regiment (three years). Chandler J. Pike.
Ninth Regiment (three years).
Michael Reynolds. Malachi Curling.
Simeon Curling. Thirteenth Regiment (three years).
W'm. R. Warner, sergeant. Wm. R. Rawson.
Charles W. Comstock, corporal. John H. Johnson.
Wow. Cordwell. John D. Plunimer.
David Brown.
Willard Wheeler.
John G. Thurston, musician.
Charles H. Wellington.
Warren E. Bruce.
Fifteenth Regiment (three years).
Wilson B. Robbins.
Charles A. Reed.
Albert Davis.
Stephen Smith.
Win. R. Dean.
George F. Wellington.
John Southland.
Thomas Horn.
Winsor Chamberlain. Levi F. Jose.
John Clancy.
David J. Messenger.
Charlee II. Stone.
Benjamin S. Hill.
Sixteenth Regiment (three years).
Charlee II. Burnham.
Amos A. Holbrook.
Seventeenth Regiment (three years). Stephen S. Hall.
Eighteenth Regiment (three years). Charles M. Fales. Nineteenth Regiment (three years). Thomas Flaoegan. Twentieth Regiment (three years).
Frederick Volt.
Albert Davis.
Henry W. Brewer. Twenty-first Regiment (three years).
George S. Ball, chaplain. Charles K. Stoddard, lient.
W'm. A. Aldrich. Twenty-second Regiment (three years). James O. Wood.
Twenty-fifth Regiment (three years).
James W. Hanly. Charles II. Brown.
George W. Wood.
Jonathan O. Fisk.
Charles F. Holbrook.
Lyman A. Leighton, Jr.
Wm. H. Holbrook. Woi. A. Aldrich.
Jaoies A. Rockwood.
Charles W. Rogere.
George E. Childs, corporal.
Perry C. Alexander.
Harrison T. Bosworth.
Lowell Southland.
Charles Reed.
George 11. Walker.
Georgo J. Drake.
Henry A. Whitney.
Harrison R. Wood.
Leander Wood.
Edward J. Blood.
Jamies W. Goodenow.
Joseph C. Rogers.
Twenty-eighth Regiment (three years). Stephen Martin. Thirty-second Regiment (three years). Williaon W. Marsh, Jr.
Thirty-fourth Regiment (three years).
Charles W. Aldrich.
Loring A. Walker.
Alfred H. Hall, musician. Charles L. Walker.
- Thirty sixth Regiment (three years).
Alonzo A. White, lieutenant. Wm O. Davenport.
Lysander M. Perham, corporal. Hezekiah Hall.
Stepben S. Rogers. William Hall.
Judson Southland, corporal. Alvah HI Johnson.
Wm. H. Bailey.
Luke Lerain.
George W. Bardwell.
Ilosea D. Leighton, Jr.
Junius Bates. John McGrath.
John A. Bosworth. Isaac R. Potter.
Nelson H. Brown.
George A. Wood.
Lorenzo S. Chamberlain,
Junine D. Bates.
Orra Chamberlain.
Alverado Drake.
Thirty-ninth Regiment (three years). William C. McNeal.
Fortieth Regiment (three years).
Sanford Bruce. Charles O. Fairbanks.
Forty-second Regiment (one hundred days).
Edward H. Aldrich. Alonzo P. Taft.
Fifty-first Regiment (nine months).
Ezekial Packard, lieutenant.
Sylvaons W. Farrington.
1Tiram M. Clark, sergeant. Benjamin F. Gibson.
Raud Lord, sergeant. Arthur Hutchinson.
John H. Slocum, sergeant. Wm. P. Kent.
Levi Smith, corporal.
Curtis A. King.
Alonzo L. Beaeon, corporal.
Charles H. Nichole.
Curtis M. Harrington, corporal.
George A. Norcross.
Joseph F. Simpson, corporal.
Oliver Orr.
Jobn Conlon, corporal. Jamea Orr.
Charlee M. Hall, musiciao.
Hardins N. Rockwood.
William R. Drake.
James A. Rockwood.
Charles E. Brooks.
George W. Taft.
Frank A. Brooks.
Alexander A. T. Temple.
912
George E. Childs. Charles K. Stoddard
Myron W. Claflin.
Darius Murphy. Edward O. Eames.
Charlee W. Aldrich. Davis Southland.
913
UPTON.
James A. Rockwood.
Thomas T. Watkin.
Moses W. Hollis.
Charles L. Chamberlain.
Wm. G. Wilmot. Augustus C. Young.
Timothy Doyle.
Fifty-seventh Regiment (three years).
W'm. A. Aldrich. Albert C. Warren.
Fifty-eighth Regiment. Charlea Jordan.
Sixty-first Regiment. John Perkins. Second Cavalry (three years).
George Bradford. Arthur Maloney.
Alexander McDonald.
James Marks.
Thomas Watson. Fourth Cavalry (three years).
Thomas Davis. Edward Galvin.
Fifth Cavalry (three years).
Thomas Dodson.
Lewis Cooper.
Johu H. Jackson. Stephen Durhen. George Murphy.
Second Heavy Artillery (three years).
Edward Burk. Third Heavy Artillery.
Arthur S. Johnson, sergeant.
Charles H. Johnson, sergeant. Johu HI. Walker.
Lyman Leighton.
Wm. H. Potter.
Fourth Heavy Artillery (three years).
Joseph Andy. Charles H. Benson.
Alonzo C. Southland.
Richard Dwinell.
Albert P. Clifford.
Charles D. Holmes.
Wm. E. Robbius.
Samnel Wilson.
Wilson R. Robbins.
Second Company of Sharpshooters (three years). James O. Wood.
Second District of Columbia Volunteers (three years). James Hill.
Veteran Reserves. Louis Peters. Drafted Men.
Benjamin S. Bensou. Daniel Fisk.
Eli W. Batcheller. Thomas S. Brown.
Regiment Unknown.
Charles H. Thompson. Charles E. Haynes.
Navy. Henry Shaw, surgeou.
The above list comprises one hundred and eighty- three volunteers, nine less than are claimed by the town as the number of enlistments. The remaining nine would doubtless be made up by double enlist- ments, only a few of which are included in the list. Of these, Harrison T. Bosworth, Charles E. Haynes and Charles H. Thompson died in Andersonville prison, the last on the 4th of July, 1864; David J. Messenger was killed at the battle of Ball's Bluff, Charles A. Rogers was killed at Newbern, Simon Curling was killed at Fair Oaks, J. Orson Fisk was killed at Newbern, and Lieutenant Charles K. Stod- dard was killed at Annapolis Juuction.
On the 25th of June, 1835, the town celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of its incorporation. Daniel Fisk presided on the occasion, assisted by Dr. John Starkweather and Mr. O. Walker, and Lyman Stoddard acted as chief marshal. A procession, num- bering fifteen hundred persons, marched through the streets, escorted hy a volunteer militia company, 58
commanded by Captain Wood, and seven hundred sat down at dinner. At the centennial service an oration was delivered by Rev. Benjamin Wood, and other parts of the service were taken by Rev. Mr. Fisk, of Wrentham, Rev. Mr. Long, of Milford, Rev. Mr. Johnson, of Grafton, and Rev. Mr. Forbush, of Northbridge ; an ode, written by Mr. Charles Thur- ber, was sung, and the music was under the direction of Colonel Daniel Newhall.
A public library was established by the town in 1874, a reference to which must not be forgotten. This institution and the High School, which was es- tablished by the voluntary action of the people, are creditable indications of a public spirit and a regard for the cause of education not often found in the small towns of the Commonwealth. Various gifts have been made to enlarge the usefulness of the libra- ry, among which was one of $500 by Wm. Knowlton, in 1876, and it receives an annual appropriation from the town. It was formerly kept in Waverly Hall, which was the old Congregational meeting-house when the hall was used by the town, but was re- moved to the Town House when that building was finished in 1884. According to the last report of the librarian, there were, on the 1st. of March, 1888, two thousand five hundred and eighty-eight volumes on its shelves, and six thousand four hundred and eighty-eight volumes had been delivered for circula- tion during the year ending at that date.
Previous to the erection of the present town hall, it has been already stated that the town held its meetings in Waverly Hall. Before that hall became available, meetings were held in the meeting-house in early times, and later, in one of the school-houses. In the autumn of 1884 the commodious building now in use was finished and dedicated. Its cost was $19,- 945.87. On the occasion of its dedication, George H. Stoddard presided and after a prayer by Rev. George S. Ball, the keys were presented to the selectmen hy Velo- rous Taft. After a poem by Mrs. M. A. Stoddard had been read, Hon. Elijah W. Wood, of Newton, deliv- ered an address, and was followed by Hon. Elijah Brigham Stoddard, of Worcester, Stephen S. Taft, of Palmer, natives of the town, Hon. S. N. Aldrich, of Marlboro', whose mother was a native of Upton, and Rev. Fr. Boyle, of Grafton, in interesting remarks. The house was built on the site of the old Nelson tavern, on the westerly side of the Common, which was one of the ancient landmarks of the town. Ezra Perry, Joseph Perry, Sylvanus Aldrich, E. H. Fisk, Luther Pike and Judson Childs were among its landlords in days when country taverns were important features in every town.
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