History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 79

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 79

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About the time the Rev. Abel Conant was settled here the books of this old Social Library were sold, and the proceeds invested in a new collection. To this new library there were about one hundred sub- seribers. This library was removed from place to place, as one and another served as librarian ; but it seems to have rested for the longest time with Miss E. G. Gardner, a niece of Rev. Francis Gardner, above-named. It was kept in her bouse seven years. In 1848 this Social Library was given to the Leomin- ster Lyceum.

In about the year 1826 a literary society, known as the Leominster Institute, was organized. Through the efforts of this society another library was gathered, and in December, 1847, contained about two hundred

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volumes. It was then given to the Leominster Ly- ceum. The Leominster Lyceum, which received these two libraries, was organized in December, 1847. The last entry on the record-books is for 1853; but the Lyceum retained its library till 1856, when it was presented to the town, on condition that the town would establish a Public Library.

The first effort made to establish a free town library, of which there is any record, was in 1853. In the warrant for the March meeting of that year, the 22d article read as follows : "To see if the town will establish and maintain a Public Library and pro- vide suitable rooms therefor ; and if so, to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the above purpose." In the records of the meeting held under this warrant we find the entry, " Voted to dismiss article 22d." Here the matter rested, so far as the action of the town is concerned, till April, 1856. The subject was then taken up in the form of an article "To see if the town will accept of the Lyceum Library, and make it the basis of a Public Library." When this article came up in town-meeting it was referred to a com- mittee consisting of the following gentlemen, viz .: Luke Lincoln, Abel C. Wilder, C. C. Field, D. R. Haynes and J. C. Allen, with instructions to report at the adjourned meeting. In accordance with the recommendation of this committee, made in their report May 5, 1856, the town voted to accept the library offered by the Leominster Lyceum, and estab- lish a Town Library of the same, according to law. The same gentlemen were chosen to receive and have charge of the library. The town raised and appro- priated the sum of seventy-five dollars to support the library the first year. The first meeting of the first library committee was held at the office of J. C. Allen, May 21, 1856. J. C. Allen was the first secretary, and D. R. Haynes the first treasurer. In 1857 the same committee were re-elected, and an appropriation of one hundred and fifty dollars made.

At the May meeting in 1858 the town voted to empower the Library Committee to collect certain libraries owned by the town, but kept in the differ- ent school wards, and as the books of these several libraries were many of them alike, to put two copies of each book in the Town Library, and exchange the rest for other books. This was to be done only where no objection was made. The libraries of Wards Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 were thus collected. Objections being made in Wards No. 1 and 6, the matter was dropped. Francis Tinker served as librarian from the formation of the Public Library till the end of 1862, receiving for the most part fifty dollars a year for his services. During this time the library was kept in his store, in Union Block, next door to what is now H. L. Williams & Co.'s grocery store.

For the year 1863, C. W. Carter was librarian, and the library was kept in a small building which then stood where Wood's brick block now is. The first part of 1864 the library dwelt in boxes. At the end

of 1863 the Town Library, having absorbed the three old libraries mentioned above and a part of the school libraries, had increased to about nine hundred volumes, and had cost the town $1,072.98. In 1876, the town received a fund of five thousand dollars from the estate of J. Henry Kendall, given, as stated in a codicil to his will, " for the formation of a Public Library," on condition that the town would provide a room for this Library satisfactory to the trustees of the Kendall Fund. To comply with this condition the Town Hall was raised and the present library- room was fitted up below. The library took posses- sion of this new room about April, 1864. The same month James M. Bronson, the present librarian, was appointed. At this time also it was voted to purchase for the town the Leominster Agricul- tural Library, at one dollar a share. This library was obtained in the following manner : An agent from Boston visited the town in 1857, having a list of books for an Agricultural Library, which he promised to furnish if he could get eighty- three subscribers at $2.50 each. The required num- ber was obtained and the library sent; it was kept at the store of J. C. Allen. This Library was pur- chased iu accordance with the above-mentioned vote. This fact accounts for the large number of old agricul- tural works in the library at the present time.

The Kendall Fund has been expended in the pur- chase of books in accordance with the terms of the will, and the library now numbers about eleven thousand volumes. The reading-room is a most valu- able department of the library. Its influence increases from year to year.

The present committee is as follows : President, J. D. Miller; James A. Stowell, H. M. Gates, secretary and treasurer; E. M. Wilder, I. F. Hall, C. C. Foster.

From this record it appears that the town has dealt quite liberally with its library. That the library would not have reached anything like its present size or value, except for the bequest of Mr. Kendall, does not, in the least, detract from the truth of this state- ment. The town has done its part well and the library is firmly intrenched in public favor.

THE LEOMINSTER MUSEUM, now a part of the library, owes its origin to the zealous efforts of Rev. Wm. J. Batt, with the co-operation of James Bennett, Esq., and Dr. G. W. Pierce, whose interest in geolog- ical and antiquarian research caused them to render valuable aid.

Sunday, October 29th, Mr. Batt read an article from the pulpit of the Orthodox church, " desiring all persons interested in such a movement to meet at the town-hall building, October 30th," 1871. In re- sponse to this call a meeting was held in the library- room October 30, 1871, at which meeting a committee was chosen, consisting of Rev. W. J. Batt, Dr. G. W. Pierce, James Bennett, F. A. Whitney, Sumner L. Carter and Fred. R. Hill, to prepare and report a plan of procedure.

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December 18th the friends of the measure again met at the room of the library. A report was pre- sented by Rev. Mr. Batt, chairman of the committee, advising the choice of five trustees, who, together with the library committee, for the time being, shall he known as the "Leominster Museum Board." The report was accepted, and Rev. W. J. Batt, Dr. C. C. Field, Joel Smith, J. C. Allen and T. A. Hills were chosen trustees. The library committee consisted of Dr. G. W. Pierce, Rev. E. A. Horton, S. L. White, Rev. J. D. Miller and W. H. Reed. At a subse- quent meeting J. D. Miller was chosen treasurer, and Joel Smith, W. J. Batt and J. C. Allen, committee on finance.

About five hundred dollars were contributed by public-spirited citizens, and mostly expended in cases and material forming the nucleus of the present col- lection, by a committee consisting of Joel Smith, James Bennett and N. C. Boutelle.

At a meeting of the museum board, September 23, 1874, Mr. Batt presented his resignation as chairman of the board, and James Bennett was chosen to fill the vacancy.

April 5, 1880, with the consent of the trustees, the town " voted to accept of the museum as a part of the public library, and provide for its care."

May 19th, the library committee appointed E. G. Davis curator of the museum, and he still holds that position. The following partial catalogue prepared by him is of historical valne :

The Mineralogical Department .- This department now contains about four hundred specimens, the nucleus of which was a private collection presented by Miss E. J. Fessenden, of Fitchburg. Among the other contributions are, a series of one hundred and forty-seven specimens, illustrating the geological for- mation of the Alps, presented by Rev. E. A. Horton; numerous contributions from Colorado, by Col. Ivers Phillips ; many others by Mr. C. H. Vanderwarker, of Fitchburg, and a profusion of local specimens by Messrs. James Bennett, Blanchard Hosmer, Charles Nixon, Roscoe Frost, Russell Damon, Willie Free- man and others. The collection consists of rocks, fossils, shells, birds, mammals, war relics, antiquities, Indian relics, colonial and miscellaneous relics, man- uscripts, newspapers and books, the " International Scientists' Directory," etc., etc.

This museum, which at one time seemed little more than a pleasant dream, but which is now a permanent monument of the energy and enthusiasm of Rev. Mr. Batt, and adds very materially to the educational facilities of Leominster, will increase in interest and value with every year of its history. If by public vote or private beneficence, suitable buildings are provided for the different departments of the library, Leominster may challenge comparison with other towns of her size in these respects.

Looking at the educational facilities of Leominster as a whole-her system of public schools, born in

weakness, out of the much poverty of the carly times, but cherished then; strengthened and established with the growth and development of the town; kept hy those in charge fully up to the standard of educa- tion in the State and Nation; provided now with ample material and competent supervision ; aided in the work by the accessories already named-look- ing at this whole field, we say, that Leominster has no need to apologize for what she has done, is doing, or promises to do for the education of her people.

CHAPTER CLVII.

LEOMINSTER-(Continued.) INDUSTRIAL.

How to obtain a livelihood, and how to secure for one's children some better chance than their parents possessed, are two of the most pressing questions of life. Other questions come and go; these remain and keep the house. When men are looking for a home, then, their choice must depend very largely upon the business enterprise of a town and the edu- cational advantages which it offers. The question of how to live is so constantly with us, and the desire to better life for our children is so vital a part of our thought, that mere beauty of natural scenery, or even more weighty matters, will be neglected or for- gotten in answering these: Does the town promise constant work at living wages? What advantages of education-social, intellectual and religious-can my children enjoy ? Hence the importance of the present topic.

Probably few towns in the Commonwealth surpass Leominster either in the number and variety of in- dustrial pursuits or in the skill and energy with which these are conducted. In regard to these indus- tries two general facts are worthy of notice. First: An important part of the manufacturing requires only a limited amount of capital; but there are sev- eral corporations of large resources and extensive business, whose goods are familiarly known in all parts of the country and even sold in foreign markets. There is thus larger opportunity for individual enter- prise and less danger in many ways. Second: An nnusually large proportion of these industries require skilled workmen, and so ensure to the town a very large class of intelligent and thinking citizens. From the first Leominster has been noted for the general intelligence and good character of its inhabitants. One reason for this is found in the nature and variety of her industrial pursuits. There is less danger that men will lack employment, less opportunity for labor troubles, a greater tendency to acquire and hold property, a more general feeling of security, which of itself does much for the growth and development

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of any town. As a glance at the other chapters of this sketch will show that, in regard to educational advantages and opportunities for moral and religious training. Leominster offers unusual attractions, so a review of our business interests will prove that the chances for constant labor at remunerative wages are better in Leominster than in most other towns of this State.

The different industrial enterprises of the town have been arranged in what seems a natural order of topics.

AGRICULTURE .- In any enumeration of business interests, agriculture would, naturally, stand first. It was first in the order of time. For the first twenty - five years very little, if any, manufacturing was done in town not directly connected with the farming inter- est; and for the first half-century Leominster was to all intents an agricultural community. The follow- ing quotation gives a good description of the soil. "This town probably contains as great a variety of soils as are to be found in any other town in the Commonwealth. Hence the natural growth of the wood and timber, as well as the agricultural and hor- ticultural products, are also various. While the high, coarse, gravelly plains produce only the small pitch- pines, the lower and richer planes were thickly cov- ered the larger white, pitch and yellow pines for timber. On the deep alluvial plains were the white and sugar maples, the birch, the beech and the elm, while the rich soils of the uplands were thickly covered with the different species of oak, chestnut and walnut." All this presupposes a great variety of soil, and that the inhabitants would find their first wealth in cultivating the land. "There were, in these years, only a sufficent number of mechanics to dress the cloth, home-spun and made in the family, to do the blacksmithing, construet the ploughs, carts and other implements of husbandry, to make and mend the custom shoes," etc.

The migratory habits of the shoe-maker in those early days, when he packed up his tools, and even his bench, and traveled from house to house to make up the shoes for the year, illustrates the condition of all manufacturing, when the farmers were all the me- chanics which the community boasted. Leominster has always been a town of small farms. The land was allotted in plots of forty acres at first, and no pro- prietor was permitted to hold, in his own right, more than one of these lots, unless the land was poor, when the number of acres was increased. Mr. Wilder notes that, in 1853, some of these farms were still in the possession, either in whole or part, of the lineal descendants of the first owners. He names Samuel M. Carter, Abel Wilder, Levi Smith and Charles F. Carter as of the fourth generation of the first owners, and Joseph Colburn, Solon Carter, William Carter, David Houghton, Shepherd C. Wilder, Luke and Eph- riam Buss as of the third generation. A few of these places are still in the same family line as in 1853;

but, for the most part, they have passed into other hands. It is also true that some farms, now as then, are held in a single line of possession for several generations, although the first owner was not one of the original settlers of the town.

Of the farming interests of Leominster, what was true at first is still true. "The farmers are indus- trious and the land is productive." It cannot be rightly said that farming is a losing business here. The owners of land do not, it is presumed, make as much money, or make it so rapidly, as the successful manufacturer or merchant ; but they enjoy a large de- gree of comfort and prosperity. The unusually large acreage of excellent pasture land within the town limits, make butter and milk among the most valu- able of our farm products. This has always been and is the fact, although the traffic is much more in milk now than in former years. Large quantities are shipped by the farmers to outside markets. Fruit of different kinds is another product for which Leo- minster is, and has been, noted. Not only are there many excellent orchards and a large annual produe- tion of the apple, but the smaller fruits are grown with success. Even the small garden plots in the. thickly-settled parts of the town have a full supply of the pear, grape and the different kinds of sub-acid fruits. The annual exhibition of fruit at the Farm- ers and Mechanics' Fair easily surpasses that of any other town or county fair in this part of the State. Of late Mr. George M. Kendall has made market gar- dening a decided success. Indeed, it would seem that nature produced him, and experience has trained him, for this special business. Others have engaged in it to some extent, but not with equal suc- cess. The soil of Leominster produces, also, all kinds of grain native to this climate, and the value of these and the hay crop is many thousand dollars annually.

In order to promote the interests of agriculture and mechanical pursuits, the Farmers and Mechan- ics' Association was organized in the autumn of 1852. The following is the preamble to the constitution of that society :

" Recognizing voluntary labor as a wise and beneficent appointment of Providence, conducive to the well-being of individuals, indispensable to the existence of society, honorable in itself, and deserving, therefore, to be cherished and en- couraged : We, inhabitants of Leominster, in or- der to promote the interests of agriculture and all industrial pursuits, and especially to benefit those engaged therein, by inciting to investigation, to re- flection and to action, and by furnishing facilities for a free interchange of opinions, thereby to call forth the results of individual observation and experience, and to elicit practical and scientific information, do hereby constitute ourselves an association and adopt the following constitution :

" ART. 1. The name of this Association shall be

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The Leominster Farmers and Mechanics' Associa- tion."

The rest of the constitution need not be given. The annual meeting was to be in January, and a fair and cattle show for the exhibition of farm products, live stock and manufactured articles, was to be held in the fall of each year. How well the association has accomplished the objects named in the preamble is left for those better acquainted with its work to say. It is enough to state here, that the annual fair and cattle show, has for many years been one of the most interesting of days to all the people of the town, and the exhibitions from year to year are full proof that all the farmers have not moved West.

Since the organization of the society the following persons have served in the offices named :

Temporary organization .- Dr. Sewall Richardson, president ; J. Q. A. Pierce, secretary.

1852 .- President, Leonard Burrage ; Secretary, Jo- seph Darling.

1853 .- President, Leonard Burrage ; Secretary, Jo- seph Darling.

1854 .- President, Solon Carter ; Secretary, J. C. Allen.

1855 .- President, Solon Carter ; Secretary, J. C. Allen.

1856 .- President, Dr. C. C. Field; Secretary, James Bennett.

1857 .- President, Dr. C. C. Field ; Secretary, James Bennett.

1858 .- President, Daniel R. Haynes; Secretary, James Bennett.

1859 .- President, D. R. Haynes ; Secretary, James Bennett.

1860 .- President, W. B. Hosmer ; Secretary, James Bennett.

1861 .- President, Solon Carter; Secretary, J. B. Allen.

1862 .- President, Solon Carter ; Secretary, J. B. Allen.

1863 .- President, Ward M. Cotton; Secretary, A. L. Burditt.

1864 .- President, Ward M. Cotton ; Secretary, J. IV. Gates.

1865 .- President, Whiting Gates ; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1866 .- President, Whiting Gates ; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1867 .- President, William Tilton ; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1868 .- President, William Tilton; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1869 .- President, Isaac Cowdrey ; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1870 .- President, Isaac Cowdrey ; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1871 .- President, Wm. F. Burrage ; Secretary, Tames M. Bronson.

1872 .- President, Wm. F. Burrage ; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1873 .- President, Howard M. Late: Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1874 .- President, C. C. Boyden ; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1875 .- President, C. C. Boyden ; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1876 .- President, J. H. Goodale; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1877 .- President, J. H. Goodale; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1878 .- President, Geo. Woods; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1879 .- President, Geo. Woods; Secretary, J. W. Gates.

1880 .- President, D. E. Wheeler ; Secretary, C. G. Harrington.

1881 .- President, Clesson Kenney ; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1882 .- President, C. H. Merriam ; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1883 .- President, C. H. Merriam ; Secretary, James M. Bronson.

1884 .- President, Dr. F. E. Nims ; Secretary, Charles H. Rice.

1885 .- President, Dr. F. E. Nims; Secretary, Charles H. Rice.

1886 .- President, Geo. H. Wheelock ; Secretary, Charles H. Rice.

1887 .- President, Geo. H. Wheelock ; Secretary, Charles H. Rice.

1888 .- President, Wm. B. Tisdale ; Secretary, Charles H. Rice.

1889 .- President, C. S. Buss; Secretary, Charles H. Rice.

The association held its first fair September 29, 1852.

COMBS .- When we turn from agriculture to the mechanical industries of the town we must give comb- making the place of honor. This is done, not be- cause it was the very first kind of manufacturing en- gaged in here, but hecause for many years it employed a larger proportion of the inhabitants than any other, and from the peculiar nature of the business, as then conducted, it required less capital and employed a larger percentage of labor as compared with the value of the product. For this reason there were many small manufacturers, and Leominster came to have the fact and the feeling of prosperity. In this busi- ness men acquired wealth, moderate in amount, it is true, but ample for the times. In this way, also, grew up that comfortable, well-to-do feeling which still holds its own in this community.

The comb business was brought to Leominster from West Newbury about the year 1775, possibly the year before. As one goes on Pleasant Street towards the farm of C. C. Boyden, he passes to the left the old Hills house, where the first combs were made in Leo-

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minster. This house, which had, amid the early mutterings of the Revolution, the honor to cradle a new and important industry for this town, was built in 1759 by Elias Carter, and by him sold to Mr. Hills in 1774. It is now the property of Cornelins Whit- comb and B. F. Blodgett. In this house Obadiah Hills began to make combs from horns. He used only the kitchen of his house for his shop, and worked, as did all others for many years, wholly by hand. For some years Obadiah, Smith and Silas Hills worked at this business in different parts of the town; but Joseph Tenney, John Chase and Edward Love, all of whom came to Leominster from West Newbury, were also comb-makers, as were John Kendall and Jonathan Johnson. While John Buz- zell, a worker in shell as well as horn, seems to have been the first to give any thonght to the making of comb-tools, it is on record that Jabez Love, Thomas and Charles Hills owned the first screw-press which came to town. The first press of this kind was built in a hut in Ashby woods, so that no one might in- fringe upon the plan. The inventor was McPherson Smith, and the letters patent are still kept as a treas- ure by the Hills family. They hear the signature of John Quincy Adams as Secretary of State. Previous to this time the old wedge-press was in universal use.

The material used in this business was, at least for many years, of small value. It was a practice in the early days to bring the horns from Worcester, after they had been cut in pieces with a band-saw, in the saddle-bags, for which those times were famous. It is thus made clear that nearly all the value of the combs was in the one item of labor.

It may be of interest to look back to some of these. early methods in comb-making. As stated already, nearly all the work was done by hand in the early comb-shops. The tools were very few and exceed- ingly rude. The horn, cut as above described, was thrown into hot water to soften. It wasthen pressed flat by means of the old wedge-press, one of the most conspicuous objects in every comb-shop of those days. This press was so arranged that when the pieces of horn were in place between like pieces of iron, the horn could be pressed flat by wedges driven in opposite directions. When this work was finished the pieces were taken from the press and again soft- ened by soaking in hot water. In this condition the material was ready for the next step, which was the cutting of the teeth. This must have been a very interesting process, for it was done by means of a common hand-saw. A sharp knife was used to shave the comb; and the smoothing and polishing were done by means of rubbing, at first with sand and water, and after the comb was colored, with chalk, vinegar and other preparations.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 79

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