History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 70

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 70

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The manufacture of wooleu goods was commenced in 1888 by Arthur Mc Williams on the old Parker mill site.

HUBBARDSTON GRANGE, No. 126, P. OF H., was chartered November 26, 1885. Master, Alson J. Green- wood; Secretary, George E. Morse. Past Masters : Darius Parsons, Chester E. Bennett, Elwin C. Wheeler.

It is now in a flourishing condition, with sixty-seven members.

CIVIL HISTORY .- The following is a list of the town officers, Representatives, Senators, etc :

Selectmen .- Israel Green, 1767 ; Benjamin Nurse, 1767 ; Benjamin Hoyt, 1767-69; Stephen Heald, 1768, '70, '71, '73, '75, '79, '86 ; Adam Wheeler, 1768, '79, '83; William Pain, 1769; Ezekiel Newton, 1770, '72-74; William Marean, 1770, '71, '75, '82, '92-1800, '01, '02, '06, '09; Joseph Eveleth, 1771, '73, '85; Jos- eph Slarrow, 1772; John Woods, 1772, '76, '87, 1807, '08; Ezra Pond, 1774, '80, '81, '87 ; William Muzzy, 1774, '75, '79, '82, '95, '96 ; Jonathan Gates, 1776, '80,

'84, '86, '88, '89; Robert Murdock, 1776, '85, '86, '90, '91, '98, '99, 1800, '01; John Clark, 1777, '79; Isaac Bellows,1 1777, '83; George Metcalf, 1777 ; Thomas Caryl, 1778 ; Elisha Woodward, 1778, '79, 1802; Wil- liam Stone, 1778; Joseph Shattuck, 1780, '86; Na- thaniel Waite, 1780, '92-94; Abijah Greenwood, 1780, '83, '87, '92-94 ; Samnel Slocomb, 1781-83 ; Joel Pol- lard, 1781; Reuben Totman, 1883; James Thompson, 1784, '92, '93; Eli Clark, 1784; Joseph Wright, 1784, '86, '92-94 ; Hollis Parker, 1785; Nathan Stone, 1785; John McClenathan, 1785, '94, '97, 1807, '08; Edward Selfridge, 1788, '89 ; Buckley Howe, 1788, '89; Moses Greenwood, 1790, '91, '95-97; Moses Clark, 1790, '91, 1805,'06; Joshua Murdock, 1790, '91, 1807, '08 ; Sam- uel Follett, 1790, '91 ; Thomas Hapgood, 1795-97 ; John Browning, 1797, 1803-05 ; Daniel Parkhurst, 1798, '99, 1800, '01 ; Ephraim Allen, 1798-1800, '09, '10, '12, '13; Ebenezer Warren, 1798-1800, '01, '03-05, '16, '17 ; Israel Davis, 1801, '02, '06, '09, '12-15, '21, '22; Ebenezer Stowe, 1802; Abraham Cutting, 1802; Levi Greenwood, 1803-05, '16; Jonathan Cutting, 1803-05; William Morse, 1804, '05, '10-12, '20 ; Asa Wheeler, 1806, '10-12, '15; Daniel Woodward, 1806, '09, '14, '15, '18, '19, '21-23 ; Samuel Morse, 1806, '13 ; Otis Parker, 1807, '08, '12, '15, '19, '22; Aaron Gates, 1807, '08, '18-20, '24, '25, '31, '32; Luke Warren, 1809, '20; Asa Lyon, 1810 ; Delphos Gates, 1810, '11 ; Moses' Phelps, 1811 ; Levi Conant, 1811; Robert Murdock, Jr., 1813; Daniel Barnes, 1813; Moses Waite, 1814, '15, '19, '20, '24, '26-29, '30, '34, '36-39, '42; Aaron Wright, 1814, '17 ; Joel Pollard, Jr., 1814; Ebenezer Mann, 1816; Timothy P. Marean, 1816, '17, '21; Ephraim Mason, 1816 ; Nathan Wright, 1817 ; James H. Wheeler, 1817, '18; Moses Phelps, Jr., 1818 ; Jotham Stone, 1818, '19; Isaac Follett, 1820 ; James Browning, 1821, '24 ; Ebenezer Stowe, Jr., 1821; Silas Greenwood, 1822, '23, '26-29, '30-32, '34, '36, '39, '40 ; Sewell Mirick, 1822, '23, '26; Warner Hinds, 1823, '24, '26 ; Johu Church, 1823 ; Samuel Swan, 1824-27 ; Henry Prentiss, 1825; George Williams, 1825 ; Abijah Clark, 1825, '27-29, '31, '32; Jonas Heald, 1827, '28, '43; Nathan Warren, 1828; Asa Marean, 1829, '30, '31, '33, '35, '40, '41, '43-45; Rowland Woodward, 1829, '33-35 ; Justus Ellinwood, 1830; David Ben- nett, 1830; Elisha Woodward, 1831-33; Ethan A. Greenwood, 1833 ; Dana Brown, 1833, '35-38, '44, '45 ; Stillman Morse, 1834; Lyman Greenwood, 1834, '36- 38, '46-49, '52-54, '59, '60, '62, '64; William S. Clark, 1835 ; William Joslin, '1835, '41, '43, '59, '70 ; Levi Allery, 1836, '37; Sewell Wheeler, 1837, '38, '44, '45 ; Crusoe Kendall, 1838-40, '42, '43; Henry Prentiss, Jr., 1739, '40, '52-54, '61; Levi Joslin, 1839, '42, '44- 46, '50, '51, '60; Ephraim Stowe, 1840, '41, '43-48 ; Aaron Greenwood, 1841, '42, '46, '55-58; James A. Waite, 1841 ; Luke Williams, 1842; John F. Wood- ward, 1846-49, '50, '51, 57-59, '60, '62-64; Caleb

1 Resigned to enlist in the army, and Ebenezer Joslin was elected May 22, 1777, to serve for the remainder of that year.

1184

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Underwood, 1849-51 ; Sylvanus Dunton, 1852-54, '57, '58; Levi Miles, 1855, '56; Augustns Morse, 1855, '56; T. Sibley Heald,1 1861; Horace Underwood, 1861, '65, '69; Moses C. Wheeler, 1862-65, '67, '68; Andrew Gleason, 1863, '65, '66, '71 ; John G. Allen, 1866, '83-86 ; Isaac Hallock, 1866; Oren Marean, 1867, '68; Abel Howe, 1867-69; Spencer Prentiss, 1869; Ebenezer Tilton, 1870,'71 ; David Pollard, 1870; Lyman Woodward, 1871, '72; William J. Eveleth, 1872, '73; Alson J. Greenwood, 1872, '73, '76-80, '85; Danford Clark, 1873; Samuel S. Gleason, 1874-81, '82; Silas Wheeler, 1874-82; Anson B. Clark, 1874, '75 ; War- ren Clark, 1881 ; Edwin H. Clark, 1883, '84; Herbert W. Howe, 1886-88; Charles E. Pollard, 1887, '88; William H. Wheeler, 1887, '88.

Assessors .- Israel Green, 1767; Benjamin Nurse, 1767; Benjamin Hoyt, 1767-69, '72; Stephen Heald, 1768, '70; Adam Wheeler, 1768, '69, '71; William Pain, 1769; Ezekiel Newton, 1770; William Marean, 1770, '71, '92; Joseph Eveleth, 1771-73, '75, '77 ; Nathaniel Waite, 1772; John Woods, 1773-76, '78, '79; George Metcalf, 1773 ; Isaac Bellows, 1774, '75, '77, '79, '81, '87; William Muzzy, 1774, '77, '79, '86, '92, '98; Jonathan Gates, 1776, '80, '83, '84, '88-90, 1802, '03; Robert Murdock, 1776; Joel Pollard, 1779-82; Elisha Woodward, 1780, '82-84; Joseph Shattuck, 1780, '82, '85, '86; Ebenezer Mann, 1780, '97; Alpheus Morse, 1781, '85; Moses Phelps, 1783, 'S4; Ebenezer Joslin, 1785; Philemon Woodward, 1786, '88-98, 1800, '04-06, '09, '12-15 ; Samuel Morse,2 1787 ; Moses Greenwood, 1787, '90; John McClena- than, 1791, '93-96 ; Asa Church, 1791, '93-97; Dan- iel Woodward, 1798-1801, '17; Abijah Greenwood, 1799; James Thompson, 1799; Edward Selfridge, 1800; Jacob Waite, 1801, '03-08, '10, '11; Abner Gay, 1802, '03, '13, '16; Abraham Cutting, 1802; Is- rael Davis, 1804, '05; Levi Greenwood, 1806, '18; Asa Wheeler, 1807, '08; Luke Warren, 1807-09, '12, '14, '15, '20; Timothy P. Marean, 1809; Aaron Gates, 1810, '11, '16-22, '25-30 ; Nathaniel Waite, Jr., 1810; Luther Hale, 1811-15, '21; William Rice, 1816 ; Nathan Wright, 1817 ; Joel Pollard, Jr., 1818, '19, '22-24, '30, '39, '40; William Hobbs, 1819; Sew- ell Mirick, 1820, '22-24, '26, '27, '30; James H. Wheeler, 1821; Justus Ellinwood, 1823, '24; George Williams, 1825; Abijah Clark, 1825; Russell Brown, 1826, '28, '29, '31, '33-35; Ephraim Stowe, 1827 ; Silas Davis, 1828, '29, '31, '32; John Church, 1831, '32; William Young, 1832, '33; Shepherd Clark, 1833; John D. Pierce, 1834, '35; Elisha Woodward, 1834- 42, '44 49, '51, '58-60, '63, '64; William Bennett, 1836-40 ; James H. Pierce, 1836, '37 ; Henry Pren- tiss, Jr., 1838, '41, '42, '44-49, '51; Lyman Green- wood, 1841-43 ; Dana Brown, 1843, '54; Rowland Woodward, 1843; William Bennett, Jr., 1844-48, '50,

I Resigned to enlist in the army, and John F. Woodward was elected to serve the rest of the year.

2 Died April 20, 1787, and John Woods was elected to fill the va- cancy.

'51; Sylvanus Dunton, 1849, '59; Levi Miles, 1852, '53; Simpson C. Heald, 1850; Joseph Raymond, 1852-54; Israel Davis, 1852-54 ; Almer Gay, 1855-57, '59, '60-63, '65-68, '70, '74-77 ; Horace Underwood, 1855-68; Leonard Clark, 1855, '68; William Joslin, 1856, '57, '61-69; Abijah H. Greenwood, 1856, '57 ; Levi Joslin, 1858; Albert Bennett, 1858, '60, '73, '74, '80; Lymau Woodward, 1861, '62, '64, '69, '70, '71; Oren Marean, 1865, '66, '73; Nathan H. Felton, 1867; Danford Clark, 1869-73, '83 ; Samuel S. Glea- son, 1871, '72, '78, '80, '81, '86; Albert H. Waite, 1872 ; Asa Bennett, 1874, '76, '79, '80, '81, '82; War- ren Clark, 1875 ; Alson J. Greenwood, 1875, '78, '81- 88; Luke S. Moore, 1876, '77; Edwin Bennett, 1877, '78 ; George H. Davis, 1879, '86-88; Joseph Jewett, 1879; Saxton J. Arnold, 1882; Harlan P. Smart, 1883, '84; William H. Wheeler, 1884, '85; Edmund S. Bennett, 1885, '87, '88.

Town Clerks .- John Le Bourveau, 1767-69; Wil- liam Marean, 1770; Joseph Eveleth, 1771; John Woods, 1772-84, '95, '96; Stephen Church, 3 1785, '86; Elisha Woodward, 1786-94; Abner Gay, 1797- 1802, '16-18; Jonathan Cutting, 1803-06; Jacob Waite, 1807, '10, '11; Daniel Woodward, 1808, '09, '12, '13; Samuel Swan, 1814, '15, '20-35; William Bennett, Jr., 1836-64; Lyman Woodward, 1865-89, present incumbent.

Town Treasurers .- Ezekiel Newton, 1767, '68, '72, '75, '76: Adam Wheeler, 1769-71 ; William Marean, 1773, '74; John Woods, 1778-81 ; Joel Pollard, 1782- 84; Elisha Woodward, 1785-90, '99; Jonathan Gates, 1791-98; Abijah Greenwood, 1800-03, '09; Daniel Woodward, 1804-06; Ebenezer Warren, 1807, '08; Otis Parker, 1810, '11; Ebenezer Stowe, 1812; Levi Greenwood, 1813-16 ; Israel Davis, 1817-19; Justus Ellinwood, 1820, '21 ; Samuel Swan, 1822, '23; Clark Witt, 1824-27; John Church, 1827-30; Levi Peirce, 1831-34, '46, '48, '49, '56-58 ; Shepherd Clark, 1835- 37, '40, '41; Moses Phelps, 1838; Appleton Clark, 1842-45; Luther A. May, 1850-63; John Phelps, 1849 ; William Bennett, Jr., 1854, '63, '64; Benjamin D. Phelps, 1855, '59-62; Moses Greenwood, 1865; Lyman Woodward, 1866-81.

Representatives to the General Court. - William Muzzy, 1786, '87, '96, '98; John. Woods, 1788; Wil- liam Marean, 1791, '92, '94, 1800, '01; Jonathan Gates, 1803; John McClenathan, 1804-07 ; Jacob Waite, 1809, '10; Ephraim Allen, 1812, '13; Levi Greenwood, 1814, '16; Daniel Woodward, 1818, '21 ; Samuel Swan, 1824; Henry Prentiss, 1827, '29, '31, '32, '36 ; Moses Phelps, 1828; Moses Waite, 1830-34, '37; Ethan A. Greenwood, 1833, '34; Silas Green- wood, 1835; Asa Marean, 1835-38, '41, '42; Micajah Reed, 1839, '40 ; George Williams, 1839, '40 ; Sylvanns Dunton, 1843; William Bennett, Jr., 1846, '48-52, the district, 1861, '64; Leonard Clark, 1855; Levi

3 Died July 11, 1786, and Elisha Woodward served the rest of the year.

1185

WARREN.

Miles, 1856 ; Henry Prentiss, 1857 ; Aaron Greenwood, the district, 1859; Horace Underwood, 1863, '78 ; Lyman Woodward, the district, 1865, '67, '72, '73; Otis Hale, the district, 1868; Samuel S. Gleason, the district, 1876 ; William J. Eveleth, 1882; Herbert W. Howe, 1889.

From 1831 to 1837, and in 1839 and 1840 the town sent two representatives.

For the years not mentioned above, prior to 1858, the town was not represented.

From 1858 to 1866 Templeton and Hubbardston comprised one district.

From 1866 to 1877 Barre, Dana, Hardwick, Hub- bardston, Petersham, Phillipston and New Braintree made one district.

Since 1877 Petersham, Phillipston, Templeton and Hubbardston compose this district.

Senators .- Henry Prentiss, 1835; Ethan A. Green- wood, 1836, '37.

Delegates to the Several Conventions held in Massachu- setts .- John Clark, delegate to convention held at Concord, 1774; William Muzzy, representative to Provisional Congress, Watertown, 1775; William Muzzy, representative to General Court, held at Watertown, 1775 ; John Woods, delegate to Constitu- tional Convention held at Cambridge, 1779; William Marean, delegate to convention held at Concord, 1779 ; John Woods, delegate to convention held at Boston to adopt the United States Constitution, 1787 ; Ephraim Allen, delegate to convention held at Bos- ton to revise the Constitution, 1820; William Bennett, Jr., delegate to convention held at Boston to revise the Constitution, 1853.

POPULATION .- 1767, about 150; 1776, 488; 1790, 933; 1800, 1113; 1810, 1127; 1820, 1367; 1830, 1674 ; 1840, 1784 ; 1850, 1825; 1855, 1744 ; 1860, 1621 ; 1865, 1546; 1870, 1654; 1875, 1440; 1880, 1385; 1885, 1309; 1889, ahout 1300.

VALUATION. - 1831, $314,467 ; 1841, $411,458; 1851, $643,503 ; 1861, $609,054; 1865, $741,433; 1870, $904,457; 1875, $903,176 ; 1880, $789,238 ; 1885, $699,965.

CHAPTER CLIII.

WARREN.

BY WILLIAM T. DAVIS.

IT is not proposed, in this sketch of Warren, to go into any details of the history of the territory of which it is composed before its incorporation as a town. Unlike many of the towns in Worcester County, the township was not founded on a grant to proprietors, which gradually developed into a condi- tion which made an act of incorporation necessary for its progress. The simple statement of the case is that certain inhabitants of the towns of Brookfield and

Brimfield, and of the plantation of Kingsfield, which was, in 1752, incorporated as the town of Palmer, became dissatisfied with the inconveniences to which they were subjected by reason of their distance from the churches, and other privileges of the communities to which they belonged, and petitioned the General Court to be incorporated as a separate and distinct town. In response to their petition the following act of incorporation was passed January 16, 1741-42:

An act for erecting a parcel of the lands belonging to the inhabitanta of the westerly part of the town of Brookfield and the northerly part of the town of Brimfield and easterly part of Kingsfield, so-called, viz .: those parts of the said lands that adjoin to said Brookfield, into a town- alip by the name of Westaro.

Whereas, divers inhabitants of the towns of Brookfield and Brimfield, and of Kingsfiald, so-called, labor under difficulties by reason of their not being incorporated into a township ;

Be it enacted by Hia Excellency, the Governor, Council and Represen- tatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of tha same,

SEC. 1. That tha lands hereatter bounded and described be, and hereby are, eracted into a separate and distinct township by the name of West- ern, viz. :

SEC. 2. Beginning at Brookfield southwest corner ; then running half a mile north on said Brookfield line ; then west thirty-four degrees north three miles and eighty rods to the river, aud bonoded with a small wal- nut staddle standing in the split of a rock ; thence running up the river to an elm-tree marked ; thence crossing the river and running north forty- four degrees east about three miles and a half to Brookfield west line to a heap of stones near a chestnut-tree marked ; and running east eleven degrees and thirty minutes south one mile and an hundred and fifty roda to a lieap of stones on a rock, at the end of a meadow or mill-pond ; then hounding on Cornelius White's land till it come to mill brook, so-called ; then bounded with tha mill brook to the river as the brook runs; then crossing the river and extending southeasterly to a white oak-tree, known by the name of the northeast corner of the mile square ; thenca extending southeasterly to Brookfield south line, intersecting that line two miles and three-quarters from said first-mentioned south weat corner bounds.

SEc. 3. And that the inhabitants of the said landa be, and hereby are, vested with all the powers, privileges and immunities that the inhabit- ants of other towna within this province are, or hy right ought to be, vested with ; and that the said town of Western helong to the County uf Worcester,

Provided, -

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid :

SEC. 4. That nothing in the act contained shall be construed or in- tended to hinder, alter or prejudice tha right and interest of all or any person whatsoever in any of the common or undivided lands in the said townships of Brookfield, Brimfield and the plantation called Kingsfield, but the same shall remain as heretofore, and the inhabitants of the re- spective towns and plantation aforesaid shall have their full vote in the ordering, improving or disposing of such common and undivided laods as by law they have, or ought to bave, before the enacting hereof.

Provided also,-

And be it further enacted :

SEC. 5. That the inhabitants of the said town of Western shall be lia- hle and subject, notwithstanding their being set off and constituted a townahip, as aforesaid, to pay their proportion of all province, county and town rates for this year, in the said town of Brookfield, Brimfield and Kingsfield, respectively, and shall be accordingly assessed thereto in the same manner as they would have been if this act had never been made; anything herein before contained to the contrary notwith- standing.

To prevent confusion, it will be proper to state here that the town bore the name of Western until 1834, when, by an act of the Legislature, the name was changed to Warren. The town of Weston, in Middle- sex County, was incorporated in 1712, and the simi- larity in the names led to a confusion which made the change necessary. The name of Warren will be exclusively used in this narrative.

1186

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The first town-meeting was held March 8, 1741-42, according to the old style of the calendar or, on the 19th of March, 1742, according to the new style. At that meeting Noah Ashley was chosen moderator, and Mathew Beal, town clerk. The selectmen chosen were Solomon Keys, Noah Ashley, Peter Rice and Nathaniel Reed. On the 15th of March, at a town- meeting at which Thomas Parsons acted as moderator, it was voted "to strengthen the covenant adopted, that it shall be strong and good." On the 5th of June, 1742, it was voted to locate the meeting-house on Comey Hill and to have three months' preaching. On the 14th of October, 1742, it was voted to have the meeting-house forty feet square, and to locate it on Comey Hill. On the 18th of April, 1743, a town- meeting was held at the house of Widow Howard, and Solomon Keys was chosen moderator. The meeting was "adjourned to the place called Comey Hill, and at the place above mentioned on the west side, near the place called the Staddle on a napp of ground adjoining to Comey Hill; the particular spot is known by one chestnut tree on the west side of the napp, and a little east of said chestnut tree there is two black oak staddles, marked, and the same spot at said meeting, by adjournment from the Widow Howard's house to this place, and on this spot of ground and at the time noted, the particular spot is, and shall be, the place for the meeting-house to be built upon and here to remain." On the 2d of May, 1743, at a town-meeting at which Solomon Keys acted as moderator, it was voted to build the meeting- house forty-five feet long, thirty-five feet wide and twenty and one-half feet between sill and plate, and the sum of three hundred pounds was appropriated to pay the expenses. Noah Ashley, Solomon Keys and David Blair were chosen a building committee, and it was also voted that Mr. Thomas Strong should do the preaching for three months. On the 16th of January. 1743, it was voted to settle John Martin with a settlement of eighty-seven pounds and ten shillings and a salary of forty pounds, to be increased fifty shillings annually after the first year. It is prob- able that Mr. Martin declined, or if he came to Warren that his settlement was short. It is also probable that the first settled minister was Rev. Isaac Jones, who was notified on the 20th of July, 1744, by Samuel Bliss, Gershom Makepeace, Noah Ashley, Thomas Rich and Peter Rice, " that the free-holders of Western had selected him for their minister, and they prayed for his speedy and serious consideration of the premises." Mr. Jones accepted the invitation, and was ordained in January, 1744-45. He continued in his pastorate more than forty years, when he was released only by his death. Mr. Jones was succeeded by Rev. Stephen Baxter, a graduate of Harvard, in 1788, who was ordained March 9, 1791. During the pastorate of Mr. Baxter in 1798, a movement towards the erec- tion of a new meeting-house began to be agitated, and, as was the case in most towns, the location of the

okdl structure was found to be inconvenient to the greater part of the population, and it was decided to build it on the lower part of the Common. On the Common it was built in 1804, and there it remained until 1837, when desired improvements of the Com- mon rendered it necessary to remove it to the site of the present house. In April, 1874, it was burned, and the present meeting-house was at once erected on the old site. In 1806 Mr. Baxter was succeeded by Rev. Sylvester Burt, and in 1816 by Rev. Munson C. Gay- lord. Rev. Orin Catlin followed in 1829, and Rev. Charles Fitch in 1832. Rev. George Trask was or- dained in 1836, a gentleman who has been somewhat notarious in a crusade against the use of tobacco. Mr. Trask remained ten years, and has been followed by Rev. Charles Smith, Rev. J. H. Northrop, Rev. S. S. Smith, Rev. E. L. Jagger, Rev. S. J. Austin and the present pastor, Rev. D. O. Clark.

In 1815 a Universalist Society was organized, and a meeting-house built at Hodge's Corner, in South Warren, in 1821. In 1833 this organization was abandoned. In 1830 the present Universalist Society was organized and for several years held services in one of the school-houses. In 1837 they built their present church on the hill between the south and central villages. Rev. J. W. Talbot was installed over the society in 1839, and has been succeeded, among others, by Rev. Messrs. Lane, Webster, Plum, Bradley, Moore and the present efficient pastor, Rev. Olney I. Darling.

A Methodist Society was organized in 1852, and for more than ten years held religious services in Union Hall. In 1863 the society bought a church in that part of Ludlow called Jencksville and removed it to Warren. Among the pastors of this society have been Rev. Mr. Parkhurst, Rev. Messrs. George, Satch- well, Locke, Godfrey and Tisdale. The present pas- tor is Rev. J. F. Means. There is also at the present time a Methodist Church at West Warren, of which Rev. B. F. Kingsley is pastor.

A Congregational Society was organized at West Warren, July 25, 1865. Rev. A. H. Simes was installed over this society in 1866, and was succeeded after his resignation, in 1869, by Rev. C. G. Weeks. During its early years the society worshipped in Crossman's Hall, but in 1869, during the pastorate of Mr. Simes, the present 'meeting-house was erected. The present pastor of this society is Rev. G. H. Morss.

In 1872 Catholic churches were erected both in the central village and at West Warren, and these are presided over by Rev. David Moyer and his assistant, Father Martel.

It was not long after the incorporation of the town before its peace was disturbed by the French and Indian Wars. In the first of these wars it is not probable that Warren, just starting in her municipal career, took a very active part. In the war of 1753 she sent her soldiers into the field, and bore her

1187

WARREN

ample share of its burdens. Solomon Keys and his son both joined in the expedition to Lake George in 1755, and both were killed. In 1759 Lord Amherst with ten thousand men encamped within the town- ship on his way to Crown Point, and little opportunity was afforded to the inhabitants to pursue with regu - larity and profit their useful occupations until the peace of 1763. But even then the declaration of peace was mingled with mutterings and complaints which foreboded a more severe and more protracted conflict than that from which they had happily been relieved. It is not proposed to note the steps taken by Warren in conjunction with other towns to up- hold the arms of those who, in Boston and elsewhere, were resisting the aggressions of the crown. At a town-meeting held January 17, 1774, it was declared " that the plan of importing tea into America subject to a tax by commissioners of the East India Company was a very great infringement on their rights, and threatened them with hondage and slavery." It was also declared by the town that "loyalty and true allegiance to His Majesty King George the third we heartily and sincerely profess, and will yield a cheer. ful and ready obedience to all just laws ; and a hearty friendship with our mother country we wish may be continued until time shall be no more; but onr just rights and privileges, for which our forefathers endured the greatest hardships, and many of them sacrificed their lives, we cannot give up and submit to be bondmen and slaves ; but are determined to defend with the greatest vigor and resolution; which is, as we apprehend, almost the universal sentiment of every freeman in America."

It is probable that the following lists, copied from the mnster and pay-rolls at the State Honse, include most of the soldiers furnished by Warren for Rev- olutionary service :

The following men belonging to the company commanded by Capt. Reuben Read, and attached to Col. Jonathan Warner's regiment of militia, marched from Warren to Roxbury, April 20, 1775, on the re- ceipt of the news of the battle of Lexington, on the day before :

Reuben Read, captain. Cyrus Rich, lieutenant. Isaac Wood, lieutenant. Matthew Gray, sergeant. Jonathan Danforth, sergeant. William Corvee, sergeaut. Henry Wallridge, sergeant. Jason Wright, corporal. Moses Bascom, corporal. Ebenezer Field, corporal. Simeon Rich, corporal. William Brown. Jonathan Barrus. James Blair, Jr. Samuel Blair. James Craigie. Joseph Stuith. Aaron Bliss.

John Davis.

Solomon Chandler.

John Brooks. Edward Brooks.

John Wood.

Luther Rich.

Ebenezer Cutler. Joseph Cutler. Scotaway Whitcomb.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 70

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