History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 96

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 96

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That the lands in the Indian Deed, and according to their butts and bonnds, be confirmed to the children of the said Simon Willard, de- ceased, or to their legal representatives and associates, provided that within seven years' time there be sixty families settled thereon, and sufficient lands reserved for the use of the Gospel ministry and schools, except what part thereof the Hon. Samuel Sewell, Esq., hath already purchased, and that this grant shall not encroach upon any former grant, or grants, or exceed the quantity of twelve miles square.

The town to be called Rutland and to lye to the county of Middle- sex.

This deed was received April 14, 1714, and entered with the record of deeds for the county of Middlesex, liber 16, page 541-Samuel Phelps, registrar. This tract of land contained ninety-three thousand one hundred and sixty acres, the south corner butting upon Muschopauge Lake; the northeast boundary on Worcester-what is now Holden-of about six miles; the northwest, including the larger part of Princeton, by a line running on the south base of Mount Wa- chusett and the northwest border of Hubbardston, eleven miles ; the southwest being the present south- west boundary of Hubbardston and Barre, thirteen miles; the southeast answering to the southwest bound- ary of Barre and Oakham, eleven miles and thence to Worcester line, cutting Paxton into nearly equal halves by a line running due east through the centre of the town to Worcester line, seven and one-half miles, and thence northwest on Worcester about five miles to the point of beginning, which was probably at the angle marked by a monument standing in the swamp between the land of F. G. Bartlett, in Rutland, and Geo. C. Bond, in Holden, and about two hundred rods south of Muschopauge Lake.

The proprietors as named in the associate deed, at a meeting in Boston, December 14, 1714, voted that the contents of eight miles square be surveyed and set off for the settlement of sixty-two families, in order to the performance of the conditions of the grant. The six miles square granted to men who would go on and settle was that part which is now called Rutland.

The meeting appointed Thomas Howe, Stephen

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Minot, Thomas Smith, Estes Hatch, Jacob Stevens Ephraim Wilder and Samuel Wright a committee to transact the concerns of the proprietors. Agreeable to the vote of the proprietors, the committee set off lands equal to six miles square, which was surveyed by Mr. Ward. After this survey the committee sur- veyed and set off sixty-two house-lots of thirty acres each, in the form of an oblong square, in the most eligible and safe part of the town, and so calculated as to have a fort or garrison to flee to when attacked by the Indians. The first settlers were from respect- able families from Boston, Concord, Lexington, Sud- bury, Marlboro', Framingham, Lancaster, Brookfield, and emigrants from Ireland, who brought letter testimonials of their church fellowship. They were men of great courage and determination, who bid defiance to the dangers and privations that awaited them in their new country, and, shouldering their guns, axes and such other utensils for farming, with a scanty supply of provisions, set out for their new homes.

(One man, Simon Davis, from Sudbury, carried a plow on his back several miles.)

The first work of the settlers was the felling of trees, and the clearing of the land to raise something for the coming year, and the erecting of log huts. Their food was wild game or such as they brought from home on their backs or on horses ; their drink from the water of the fine, sparkling springs, which they found in great abundance; their lodging in their blankets.

In the antumn they returned to their friends. Again, the following spring, they returned to renew the work of clearing the land and building huts.

Some raised small quantities of grain. Only a few wintered in the settlement, nearly all returning to their friends to spend the winter.

The next spring, 1719, they commenced moving their families to their new homes ; as yet no woman had accompanied them, to grace by her presence the houses they had toiled so hard to erect, during the two previous seasons.

The first male child was born to Moses and Eunice How, September 23, 1719, for which fortunate event he had one hundred acres of land given to him. Mr. and Mrs. How came from Brookfield. They had born to them ten children-five sons and five daughters. Mr. How buried his wife and three daughters in the fall of 1741. He married for his second wife, Mrs. Hannah Head, by whom he had one son, Jonas, whose descendants of the fifth, sixth and seventh generations are living in town at the present time- Mrs. Eunice Howe Bartlett, widow of the late Capt. Charles Bartlett, now in her eighty-third year, her son, Walter H. Bartlett, and grandchildren, Harold, Munroe and Bessie Howe. Mr. How held the offices of selectman, assessor and treasurer, and was a justice of the peace. The late Col. Calvin G. Howe descended from this family. So rapid was the settle-

ment, that within four years they numbered fifty familics, and June 7, 1720, they selected a place for the first meeting-house to stand. It was in front of the old burying-ground, and in the succeeding year the house was so far completed as to be used for public worship.

In June of 1720 the committee of Rutland, whose names have been previously mentioned, met to inquire the state of the settlers, and proceeded from house to house, and lot to lot, to see if they had fulfilled the conditions of settlement. This was an important visit to the young settlers, and no doubt the com- mittee were received with a great deal of courtesy, and, it may be presumed, in many cases with no small degree of pride, as the few acres of cleared and cul- tivated land, with the little log cabin made cheerful and inviting by the thrifty housewife, and the rosy faces of the children partially hidden behind mother's apron, were exhibited to them.

Nearly all the settlers had the gratification of the sanction of the committee; others, an extension of time. After the settlers had performed their condi- tions, the six miles square was confirmed to them by the committee June 26, 1721, and incorporated as a town by the General Court in 1722, although the title was confirmed in 1713. Worcester County was incorporated August 2, 1731, Rutland being one of the first eight organized towns of the county.

It is the geographical centre of the State, fifty miles west of Boston, and forty east of the Connecti- cut River,-an equal distance from New Hampshire on the north, and Connecticut on the south. It is also the most central town in the county. (Tradition says that it failed of being its shire town by one vote.)

The centre has an elevation of twelve hundred and twenty feet above tide-water, and is the highest town centre hetween Boston and Northampton. There can be distinctly seen, from the centre of the town in a clear day, the church spires in fourteen different towns, and points are seen seventy-five and eighty- five miles distant in the western part of the State and Vermont.

Muschopauge Hill, one mile northeast of the cen- tre, the highest point of land in town, thirteen hun- dred and fifty feet above sea-level, has a commanding view to all points. There is a place on this hill of roots and herbs, called the "Indian Garden." The surface of the town is generally hilly, although the hills are very smooth and well rounded, and-what is quite remarkable-every one has been cultivated at some time on its very top. The soil is a rich loam for the most part, with a clay sub-soil, although along the valley of the Ware River and in some sec- tions of the west part of the town it is somewhat sandy. It is, perhaps, better adapted for grass and grazing than to the raising of grain.

The six miles square was said to contain 20,439 acres, good measure. By the census of 1885 there

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was found to be 22,246 acres, divided as follows : 3,385 acres of mowing land; 923 acres under cultiva- tion for principal crops, market gardens, nurseries, orchards, etc .; 9665 acres of pasture land; 1050 acres unimproved land; 114 acres unimprovable land; 1689 acres woodland over sixty years' growth; 54283 acres of thirty years' growth, and less.

Nearly all kinds of wood common to New England are found here,-white and hard pine, chestnut, oak, hemlock, spruce, walnut, maple, birch of the various kinds, beech, elm, poplar, cedar, etc. It is estimated that there are more acres of woodland at the present time than there was fifty years ago, although that fact, however, cannot be fully determined, as there was no censns taken of agricultural statistics as far back as 1840. The old primeval forests have nearly all succumbed to the "woodman's axe," and a new growth has taken its place. Many pastures have been allowed to run np to white pine, hard wood and white birch, which seems to be naturally character- istic to the soil. Some very valuable white or sap pine lots have grown within the past thirty or forty years. The greater part of the lumber manufactured is sawed from white pine into box-boards, which find a ready market in North Brookfield, Spencer and Worcester. Also quite a large quantity of such lumber is made into boxes by O. W. Roberts & Co., of North Rutland. A considerable quantity of chest- nut is manufactured into railroad ties, which also find a ready sale and home market to the Boston and Maine Railroad at good prices. The woolen-mills afford quite a market for cord-wood, as a large quan- tity is used for making steam-power to carry the machinery employed.

Mnschopauge Lake, or a point near it, is the start- ing and ending point of the Indian deed. It is situ- ated at the east base of Muschopange Hill; is a beautiful sheet of water, about three-fourths of a mile long and nearly one-half mile in width. The waters are, as the meaning of the name "Muscho- pauge " indicates, clear and cold. It is entirely fed by springs, as no stream runs into it. The bottom is hard and gravelly, and can be seen to a great depth. At some places in the lake the water has been found to be nearly one hundred feet deep. This supplies the water-power for Austin's Mills (formerly Broad's Mills) in Holden, although, on account of the deep basin that contains it, it cannot be drawn or lowered only about three or four feet. If this great body of pure water was accessible to some large city, it would be eagerly sought after and highly appreciated. Al- though there are some excellent fish in the lake,- pickerel, perch and pouts,-yet it is very seldom that a good string can be caught, probably because of the great number of smaller fish which afford a plenty of food for the larger ones.

Demond Pond, about one and one-half miles south- west of the centre, is a fine sheet of water, only abont half as large as "Muschopange," but possess-

ing the same qualities. Long Pond, near the village of West Rutland, is about two miles long, is quite narrow, more resembling a river than a pond, is fed by springs and the water from Demond Pond, by Buck Brook, and is a reservoir for mills and facto- ries. Monlton Pond or reservoir, one-half mile north of the centre, covers what was formerly called the "Ministry," or Captain King meadow, and meadow- land owned by A. H. Miles. It affords a good water- power, and abounds in pickerel, which are caught in great abundance through the ice every winter. The larger portion of Rutland being so elevated, there is but one river, the East Branch of the Ware, flowing through the town. This river has its source on the west side of Wachusett Mountain in Princeton.

It enters this town near the angle where the monu- ment marks the boundary of the three towns of Hub- bardston, Princeton and Rutland, passing through the intervale for a little more than a mile to North Rutland, affording there good water-power for several mills, the principal power being what was formerly called Bigelow's Mills, now owned by O. W. Roberts & Co., who have just rebuilt a good, substantial saw- mill and box-shop on the old site, where a similar mill was destroyed by fire last July. On the stream about a quarter of a mile below is a saw-mill, owned by Addison Childs; and just below this mill is a shoddy-mill, owned by M. R. Moulton.

The river follows the valley at the base of very abrupt hills to New Boston, a mile and one-half sonth of North Rutland, where there is another good water- power, and a saw and shoddy-mill owned by Owen McGann. From this point it makes a complete horse-shoe in the next half-mile; then flowing on into the town of Barre, near the junction of the three towns of Barre, Hubbardston and Rutland. The course of this river is very circuitous through this town, traversing a distance of nearly six miles and leaving the town within two and a half miles of the point of entrance.

Perhaps the next most important stream is Long Meadow Brook, which takes its water from Long Pond. At the upper falls or north end of Long Pond is one of the best sites for mills or factories in town, which has been for a number of years nnoccupied. In 1728 there was a saw-mill built here by Ephraim Jones. In 1836 Joseph Demond had a grist-mill, saw and shingle-mills in full operation. This stream flows northwesterly abont two miles through Long Meadow into the East Branch of the Ware at New Boston School-honse. Mill Brook received its name by having the first mills in Rutland carried by its power. It has its main source from Monlton Pond, and its course is westerly through Meeting-House Meadow, and enters Long Meadow Brook at a dis- tance of two miles. The woolen-mill of M. R. Moulton is at the upper falls of this stream, and abont a mile and a half farther down the stream is the turning- mill of Paul Wheeler, where his famous axe-helves

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are turned out of oak and hickory. Formerly, before Moulton's Pond was flowed, the chief source of this brook was from two springs, lying near each other, about half a mile east of the Centre. One of the above-mentioned springs is on the place of Rev. Geo. S. Dodge, from whom a right has been purchased by the Central Mass. R. R. Co. to take the supply of water needed at the water-tank at Rutland station. The other spring is on the land of Geo. S. Gates, and the water is used to supply tanks for the breeding of trout. There are also several small springs on the west side of Muschopauge Hill, which flow into this pond.

Pomagusset Brook is made up of waters that flow from meadows in the northerly part of the town, and runs westerly into the Ware, between New Boston and North Rutland. There was at one time a saw- mill upon this brook, owned by William Davis, near where the Hubbardston road crosses this stream, and just below the reservoir recently flowed by Mr. G. R .. Edson for the purpose of breeding carp.

Sewall's Brook has its source north of Miles Hill (formerly Joyner's Hill), and runs northerly through Sewall's Meadow (now owned by Mrs. Alonzo Davis), and falls into the Ware below Pomagusset Brook. All the above-named streams enter the Ware, and are thus mingled with the waters of the Connecticut and emptied into Long Island Sound.

Harwood's Brook has its source in the north part of the town, and, with the help of other small streams, forms a handsome brook and empties into the Quina- poxet, in Holden. There is one saw-mill upon this stream, now fast going to decay, formerly run by James L. Monroe, in which a considerable amount of lumber was manufactured. It is a curious fact that the water shed from the east side of the barn on the farm of Wm. C. Temple runs into this brook, and thence into the Merrimac River, and the water shed on the west side of the same barn runs into the Con- mecticut River by falling into Mill Brook.

Davis Brook has its source at or near one of the springs before mentioned as one of the sources of Mill Brook, the spring on the land of Geo. S. Gates, where it is said that the waters divide, a part mixing with the Connecticut and a part with the Merrimac. This brook runs southeast about two miles and unites with Wood Hill Brook, which has its source from springs north of Turkey Hill Pond, and flows through Holden into the Nashua River.

Mullikin Brook arises from several springs easterly of Pound Hill, and passes into Holden near its north- east corner, and then into the Nashua and Merrimac ..

There are several other streams of minor import- ance-as Dublin Brook, which runs southerly into Spencer ; Cold Brook, which passes into Oakham ; and also Folly Brook ; Stevens Brook runs northerly into Barre.

Although Rutland is on the height of land, it is well watered ; and every farm is watered either by a pond, river, brook or springs of pure water.

The following list includes the names of the original proprietors of the sixty-two house-lots:

Samuel Wright, Cyprian Wright, Jacob Stevens, Robert Patrick & Co., Simon Davis, William Blair, Samuel Ball, Josiah Haynes, Joseph Wright, Estes Hatch, Samuel Sewall, Graves & Barnard, Clarke & Hendry, Joseph Stevens, Ezekiel Day, Wm. Blair, Daniel Shepard, Henry Franklyn, David Melvin, Jonathan Willard, Thomas Read, Jacob Farrar, Eb- enezer Davis, Samuel Stone, Jonathan Waldo, Jona- than Waldo, J. & J. Crosby, Benjamin Fletcher, John Dakin, John Barber, Mark Perkins, John Charnock, Edward Rice, Jonathan Sewall, Jonathan Willard, John Buttolph, Wm. & J. Allen, Thomas Wheeler, Thomas Smith, James Pitts, Michael Gill, Thomas Fitch, John Smith, John Jeffries, Samuel Goodenow, Thomas How, Isaac Gibbs, Daniel How, Moses How, Estes Hatch, Jonas Clark, James Brown- ing, Eleazer Browne, Samnel Davis, Joseph Stevens, George Robbins, Eleazer Heywood, Edward Rice, Minister's Lot.

An order from the General Court passed July 6, 1722, authorizing and empowering Capt. Samuel Wright to call a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Rutland on the last Mon- day of July current, to choose town officers to serve until the general meeting in March next. The town was notified accordingly, and this was the first legal town-meeting ever held in Rutland. The following officers were chosen : Capt. Samuel Wright, modera- tor, Capt. Samuel Wright, town clerk ; Capt. Samuel Wright, Ens. Joseph Stephens, Lieut. Simon Davis, selectmen ; Capt. Samuel Wright, Ens. Joseph Ste- phens, Daniel How, assessors ; Ens. Joseph Stephens, town treasurer; Moses How, Eleazer Heywood, con- stables ; Daniel How, Edward Rice, Robert McClem, Wm. Finton, surveyors of highways ; James Brown- ing, John Crawford, tythingmen; Daniel How, Edward Rice, fence-viewers ; Peter Moore, sealer of leather ; John Dakin, Robert McClem, Hugh Hamil- ton, inspectors of swine; Capt. Samuel Wright, clerk of the market.

Rutland has about eighty-five miles of road or highway. All roads laid out previous to 1750 were from the proprietors' land. The main street or the ten-rod road granted by the grand proprietors was on May 8, 1743, confirmed by them as follows, viz .:

Voted, That the Road or Street Ten Rods wide, beginning at the Ministry House Lot (so-called) No. 62, and running Northeasterly over Meeting-House Hill (so-called), and ending at the parting of the roads on Rocky Hill (so-called), by the corner of Col. Hatches Division Land, be granted and confirmed to the town of Rutland, as a common for public use, Benefit and Behoof without any manner of Alienation or appropriation forever.

THOMAS FRINK, Mod'r.

By vote of the town the bounds of the ten-rod road or street in the centre was re-located to eight rods, thereby releasing to the abuttors one rod in width upon each side of the street. The proprietors and General Court made some provision for schools. It

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was one of the conditions of the grant of six miles square to the settlers, that one-sixty-third part should be set apart and appropriated for schooling forever. Accordingly, what was known as house lot 63 and its after divisions was set off for this purpose. This lot included a part of the hill that is now owned by Horace King. In 1744 the school lands were £156 48. 10d. and the proceeds put upon interest. For the first twenty years after the grant there was but very little privilege of schools, there being no school- houses, and it being dangerous for children to go from house to house on account of the Indians and wild beasts. In October, 1733, the town voted to provide a school-master before November, and chose Capt. John Hubbard, Eleazer Ball and Dunkin McFarland a committee for that purpose. It was voted to have the school kept two-thirds of the time in the middle of the town at Col. Hatch's house, and one-third at the west end by Long Pond. This school was taken by a Mr. Whittaker, which was the first public school taught in Rutland. In 1734 the town built two school-houses, one near the meeting- house and the other southwest of Cedar Swamp or Demond Pond in Dublin (so-called). For several years before the Revolution there was a Latin Gram- mar School kept in the Centre District through the year, to which Col. Murry gave twenty dollars annually for its encouragement.

During the Revolutionary War education was very much neglected. The sum granted by the town yearly was about seven hundred dollars. A considerable sum was given in addition by individuals for primary and high schools.

On May 8, 1786, Rutland appointed a committee, of which Gen. Rufus Putnam was chairman, to ascertain a proper and convenient number of school plots and the bounds of the same. The committee made a very particular description of the hounds of each plot and the heads of every family in the same. The report was not accepted, but was recorded, showing that there were one hundred and and seventy-nine fami- lies living in Rutland at that time, and is valuable for reference because of its giving the names of the heads of all the families and where they were sever- ally located, and it is quite probable that they were afterwards adopted with slight modifications, as they are substantially the same now with one exception, that of No. 9, which has been added. If Rutland has not taken the lead among the other towns in the county in the education of its children, it is but fair to say that it has not fallen much behind, considering its means to contribute for such support. The pres- ent year it has maintained ten schools of twenty-four weeks each and another school for the more advanced scholars of twenty weeks, at a cost of about two thousand dollars.

Among those who deserve special mention for hav- ing done much to advance the cause of education in this town by teaching and by serving upon the School

Committee since 1820, are Rev. Josiah Clark, Edwin Henry, Col. Calvin G. Howe, Deacon Abram H. Tem- ple, Hon. J. W. Bigelow, Daniel Bartlett and Walter A. Wheeler.

Rutland was by no means backward in the part it took in the Revolutionary War. It was united, al - most to a man, in asserting and defending its rights and privileges, and notwithstanding the friendliness of Colonel Murry to the British rulers, who had ap- pointed him one of the mandamus councillors-he being the leading spirit in the town, having repre- sented the town in the General Court for more than twenty years-yet the town, in 1765, instructed him to " use his best endeavors in the General Assembly to have the rights and privileges of the Province vindicated and preserved to them and their posterity." The Stamp Act was repealed, and the people were so rejoiced that they erected a liberty-pole-probably in the triangle formed by the Paxton with the ten-rod road-and a day was kept of feasting and gladness. Colonel Murry was further instructed by the town in 1773 as follows : " And if anything further should occur in derrogation to our privilege, we caution you that you consent not to anything which may relin- quish any part thereof, and although your attachment to the present administration to us is apparent, yet, sir, inasmuch as you accept the office of our Representa- tive, we expect you will make our instructions the rule of your conduct in said office, so far as we are at any time capable particularly to point out to you." At length the people became so exasperated with the Tory principles of Colonel Murry that they threatened him with violence; he, having intelligence of their intended visit, the night previous left town for the last time by a back road. At the breaking out of the war, in 1775, fifty of the most active and patriotic young men volunteered their services, were officered and equipped to be ready to march at a moment's warn- ing. Thomas Eustis was chosen captain ; John Stone, first lieutenant ; Elijah Stearns, second lieutenant. They engaged in the first eight months' service, and were in the memorable battle of Bunker Hill. One young man, Benjamin Read, was killed in this battle. March 6, 1775, the town voted "that all the militia from sixteen years of age and upwards be required to meet at the common place of parade on Monday, the 13th day of March next, in order for the ‘Alarm Men' to form themselves into a company, and to choose officers to command and discipline them, and that each be supplied with arms and ammunition." More than sixty responded to this call, and chose David Bent captain, whose commission was "honor and patriotism.'

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 96

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