USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > History of Worcester, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to September, 1836 : with various notices relating to the history of Worcester County > Part 38
USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > History of Worcester, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to September, 1836 : with various notices relating to the history of Worcester County > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
PUBLIC LANDS. The lands granted for the support of schools and the ministry by the proprietors, were sold, from time to time ; the proceeds invested : and the interest, and finally the principal, applied to the purposes of the original appropriation.
The land near the meeting house was early reserved for a train- ing field, and has remained open for military exercise and publie ex- hibitions. The location of the Norwich Rail Road across this tract, will impair its use as a square, and leave no spot of the com- mon territory susceptible of being converted into an ornamented ground for the use of the crowded population.
August 27, 1733, the proprietors voted 'that 100 acres of the poor- est land of Millstone IIill, be left common for the use of the town for building stones.' A subsequent grant was made of the territory to Daniel Heywood. The Supreme Court have determined, that a perpetual interest in the land for the limited use of taking stone, passed to the town by the first grant ; and the fee of the soil, subject to this use, to the grantee, by the second.1
BURIAL PLACES. The most ancient burial place of Worcester was north of the intersection of Thomas street with Summer street. It is now included in the enclosure around the brick school house, and the children of the present generation frolic over the remains of those whose graves were earliest made. Rachael, daughter of John and Jean Kellough, was the first person who died in the town, Dec. 15, 1717. The number of deaths which occurred from that
1 Inhabitants of Worcester vs. William E. Green. Pickering's Reports. ii. 425.
......-
350
FACE OF THE TOWN.
date to the time when another cemetery was occupied, were 28. Among them were some of the founders and first settlers. They were laid beneath old oaks, which long shadowed their place of rest.
The burying place bordering on the common, was opened in 1730, when Ephraim Roper, accidentally killed in hunting, was interred there. When this became too populous for new occupation, anoth- er place of sepulture was provided in 1795, on Mechanic street, and now adjoining the Boston Rail Road. In 1823, a tract of eight acres was purchased on the plain, east of Washington square, which has since been divided by the rail road. A tract of about 20 acres, half a mile westward of the village, was purchased in 1835, laid out as a cemetery, and is to be ornamented with a belt of shade trees. There is a grave yard between South Worcester and New Worcester. 1
FACE OF THE TOWN. The whole surface is undulating, swelling into hills of moderate acclivity, with gentle slope and beautifully rounded outline. From the eminences, the prospect is of the wide spread and highly improved fields of a fertile soil. Better descrip- tion cannot be given of the valley of Worcester, than by adopting the words of a writer of high authority. ' Apart from human culture,' says Prof. Hitchcock, ' this geographical centre of Massachusetts would present no very striking attractions to the lover of natural scenery. But this valley possesses precisely those features which art is capa- ble of rendering extremely fascinating. And there is scarcely to be met with, in this or any other country, a more charming landscape than Worcester presents, from almost any of the moderately elevat- ed hills that surround it. The high state of agriculture in every part of the valley, and the fine taste and neatness exhibited in all the buildings of this flourishing town, with the great elegance of many edifices, and the intermingling of so many and fine shade and fruit trees, spread over the prospect beanty of a high order, on which the eye delights to linger. I have never seen in a community of equal extent, so few marks of poverty and human degradation, as in this valley : and it is this aspect of comfort and independence among all classes, that enhances greatly the pleasure with which every true
à The burial places have been heretofore enclosed with rude fences, and overgrown with wild grass and briars. That strange laste, which disgraces the living, by placing senseless or inappropriale inscriptions on the monumental stones of the dead, has rare- ly left examples of its perversity here. Nor are there epitaphs distinguished by any singular merit, worthy of being transcribed.
351
PONDS AND STREAMS.
American heart contemplates this scene : since it must be consider- ed as exhibiting the happy influence of our free institutions.' 1
PONDS AND STREAMS. Along the eastern boundary of Worces- ter, and partly within its territory, lies Quinsigamond Pond, some- times called Long Pond, a beautiful sheet of water, which, in any other country, would be dignified with the name of lake. It extends from north to south, in crescent form, about four miles in length, pre- senting, by reason of disproportionate breadth, the appearance of a noble river, with bold banks, covered with wood, or swelling into green hills. There are twelve islands, varying in extent from a few square rods of surface to many acres. Some of them, of singular beauty, are still clothed with their original forests. At the south end, the waters, with those of Half Moon, Round, and Flint's Pond, which are connected with Quinsigamond, flow ont in a southeaster- ly direction into the town of Grafton, forming the stream anciently called ' Nipnapp River,' now the Little Blackstone, a principal trib- utary to the main stream. When the Blackstone Canal was con- structed, the ponds were raised by a dam, and made a reservoir for that work. 2
The southern part of Quinsigamond and most of its fair islands, lie within the limits of Shrewsbury. The northern part is princi- pally in Worcester. 3
North Pond, situated in that part of the town indicated by its
1 Report on the Geology of Massachusetts, 100.
2 An estimate of the quantity of water contained in this reservoir, between high and low water mark, exhibiting the extent of surface, has been kindly furnished by Henry Snow, Esq. of Shrewsbury, made from actual admeasurement by that accurate surveyor. Low water is estimated at 2 feet 10 inches above the bottom of the floom at the Irish Dam, for all waters below the neck of Quinsigamond, and 1 foot 5 inches above the bottom of the floom at that point, for all above.
Surface. acres. rods.
Depth. feet. mches.
Cubic feet.
Above the old Road,
28
120
2
0
2504700
Quinsigamond,
437
06
3
3
61871398
4 €
17
31
3
1716415
Half Moon Pond,
14
155
3
3
2
00
2
3
196020
Flooded Meadow and River,
202
18
4
205122714
Round Pond,
6
50
3
3
893660
Flint's Pond,
45
147
3
3
6500717
36
125
0
3204582
Making 99579135 cubic feet, rejecting minute fractions. About 21 millions of eubic feel cannot be drawn down by reason of the back water from the pond of the New England Village Factory.
3 A full description of this Pond will be found in Ward's History of Shrewsbury, in Worcester Magazine, ii. 8.
.......
2119126
352
PONDS AND STREAMS.
name, lies principally in district No. 12, and is the reservoir of the summit level of the Blackstone Canal. It is the source of the stream called in the old records, Dinson's, Mill, and Bimelick Brook, which passes through the village on its way to join the Blackstone River. The original surface has been estimated at 30 acres : the dams and embankment raised around, now extend it to about 2 )0 acres.
Bladder Pond has the shape described by its appellation. It is situated on the northeast part of Chandler hill, and contains five or six acres. The surface has been gradually diminishing, as the roots of vegetation have stretched themselves over its waters, form- ing a floating belt around, on which it would be dangerous to tread.
These are all the natural ponds within the territory of Worcester. Many have been created, by artificial means, for manufacturing pur- poses.
The valley of Worcester is drained through the channel of the Blackstone River, which is divided into branches, themselves subdi- vided, intersecting the whole territory with veins of water, so that there is scarcely a farm which has not rill, rivulet, or brook, within its boundaries. Beginning at the southwest corner of Worcester, we meet the Kettle Brook, flowing southwardly into Ward, and af- ter a little progress further, we strike the main stream into which this brook empties, returning to the north, and called on the ancient re- cords French River, till it reaches New Worcester ; there it receives the waters of Tatnuck Brook and of Beaver Brook, both coming from Holden, and joining together before they unite to the river. After their junction the river flows eastward about a mile and a half, and was called Halfway River, to the point were it receives the stream named on the proprietary records, usually Mill Brook, some- times Danson's Brook, and very rarely Bimelick. This tributary, receiving Weasle Brook soon after it flows out from its source in North Pond, goes in a soutberly direction through the village : from the junction, the main stream swelled to a considerable volume, some- times having the appellation of Nipmuck River, but usually called Blackstone, flows by a southeasterly course into Millbury.
Among the tributaries of Mill Brook, near the town, Pine Meadow Brook, bringing water from Bladder Pond, a minute stream, falls in near the Brewery ; and Bear Brook, scarcely larger, flows back of the brick school house on Thomas street.
HILLS. Along the western boundary of the town, extends a chain of rounded highlands, the seat of Indian villages of yore,
353
MINES.
called by the natives Tataesset, and now known as Tatnuck. In the north part of the town is Winter Hill in district No. 10 : Mount Ararat beyond North Pond in district No. 12, and the ridge form- ing the northern wall of the valley, named on the records Indian Ilill. Millstone Hill, northeast from the town, is an immense quarry of granite, presenting a remarkable geological structure of layers spread over each other in circular form like the coats of an onion. Chandler Hill, lies east of the towni, and Oak Hill, south- east. Nearly south, and forming one margin of the valley of the Blackstone, is Sagatabsrot, where Jonas Rice first built. Opposite, and across the river, is the huge mound of Pakachong Hill, ex- tending far into Ward. Wigwam Hill, is a rounded eminence on the western shore and near the head of Quinsigamond.
MINES AND MINERALS. About the middle of the last century, a mania for mining prevailed, almost as ruinous as that for speculation an hundred years later. Tired of the slow process of acquiring wealth by cultivating the surface of the earth, its possessors were enticed to dig into its bosom for treasures. The precious metals were the ob- jects of the search, and mining operations, began almost simultaneous- ly in Worcester, Sterling, Templeton, and many other towns of the county, terminated, from want of science and skill, in total failure.
In 1754, a vein of metal which was supposed to be silver, was dis- covered near the head of the valley, about a mile north of the town. A company for exploring the spot was formed by some of the most substantial inhabitants. Furnaces and smelting houses were erect- ed, and a cunning German employed as superintendent. Under his direction, a shaft was sunk 80 feet perpendicularly, and a horizon- tal gallery extended about as far through the rock, which was to be intersected by another shaft, commenced about six rods north of the first opening. Among the masses, which within a few years laid around the scene of operation, were specimens of the ores con- taining a minnte portion of silver, specks of copper and lead, inucle iron, and an extraordinary quantity of arsenic. When struck against steel, a profusion of vivid sparks are thrown out, and the strong and peculiarly disagreeable odor of the latter mineral emitted. On the application of heat, this perfume increases to an overpowering ex- tent. The company expended great sums in blasting the rock, rais- ing its fragments, and erecting buildings and machinery. While the pile of stones increased, the money of the partners diminished. 'The furnaces in full blast, produced nothing but suffocating vapors, curling
45
354
MINES AND MINERALS.
over the flames in those beautiful coronets of smoke which still at- tend the attempt to melt the ore. The shrewd foreigner, in whose promises the associates seem to have placed that confidence which honest men often repose on the declarations of knaves, became satis- fied that the crisis was approaching when it would be ascertained that the funds were exhausted, and that stone and iron could not be transmuted to gold. Some papers which exist, indicate, that he pre- tended to knowledge in the occult sciences as well as skill in the art of deception. However this may be, he assured the company, that the great enemy of man had been busy in defeating their exer- tions, making his presence redolent in the perfumes of sulphur and arsenic. He obtained the sum of $100 and made a journey to Phil- adelphia, to consult with a person experienced in mines and their daemons, for the purpose of exorcising the unsavory spirit of the crucible. He departed with a barrel full of the productions of the mine, but never returned to state the results of his conference. The proprietors abandoned the work, when they were waked by the re- ality of the loss from the dream of fortune, and afterwards destroy- ed the records of their credulity.
A much more valuable source of wealth is in the Anthracite Coal. A deposit of this mineral exists about two miles northeast from the town. It was long converted into a paint, under the name of Black Lead, and furnished a cheap and durable covering for roofs and for the exterior of buildings exposed to the weather. In 1826, it was partially explored and began to be worked by Col. Amos Binney. It was found to be a valuable combustible, suitable, even in the im- pure state presented by the upper strata, for furnaces and places where intense heat and great fires were required. Engagements of business, and local circumstances, induced him to suspend the prosecution of the undertaking. Since his decease, the mineral, which might be made to give motion to the wheels of manufacturing and mechanic industry to unlimited extent, has been permitted to rest undisturbed in its bed.
The rock in which the Worcester Anthracite occurs, is termed by Prof. Hitchcock, an imperfect kind of mica slate, and called by Humboldt, transition mica slate, having a moderate dip to the north east. Although the coal is considered by him, as inferior to that of Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, its specific gravity is greater than that from those states. He expresses the opinion that ' it will be considered by posterity, if not by the present generation, as a treas- ure of great value,' and adds, ' I can hardly believe, that a coal,
355
MINERALS.
which contains probably not less than 90 per centum of carbon, should not be employed, in some way or other, as valuable fuel.' 1
Beds of clay are abundant. In the north and west parts of the town about four millions of bricks have been made from this material during the year.
Soapstone of good quality has been discovered, and a narrow vein was worked, in the south cast part of Worcester, though not with success. Pots of this material, used by the Indians for cooking, are sometimes turned up by the plough.
Peat is found in many meadows, and as the supply of wood is diminished, may be advantageously used as fuel.
Among the minerals of scientific interest are ; Idocrase, accompa- nied by small, pale, green crystals of Pyorene, Epidote, and Garnets of a wine yellow color : Asbestus, Amianthoid, Plumbago, and veins of Pyritous Iron were found in working the coal inine : Curbon- ate of Iron, Arsenical Sulphuret of Iron, massive and crystalized, and Sulphuret of Lead, were once abundant around the old silver mine. Macle sometimes occurs in argillaceous slate.
The quarry of granite on Millstone hill, has furnished building material for a century, and the excavation now extends over two or three acres. The rock is composed almost entirely of gray quartz and white foliated feldspar, with very little mica, and differs only from the sienite of Quincy in the absence of hornblende. The only distinct example of apparent stratification of granite found in the state, by Prof. Hitchcock,2 was in this locality, and from the strata conforming on all sides to the slope of the land, being horizontal at the apex, and extending over the sides in concentric flakes, he infers that the hill is an enormous concretion. The rock is cross- ed by natural seams, dividing it into layers nearly parallel at the quarry, from one foot to two feet in thickness, and easily split by wedges. The surfaces are blackened with iron, which forms a erust on the exterior, called by the workmen ' the bark ' : from the ad- mixture of the same metal in the composition, the faces of the blocks when cut, become discolored ou exposure to the weather.
A quarry is extensively worked on the south end of Sagatabscot hill, called the ' South Ledge.' The rock is of light color, of the geological character of Granitic Canciss, entirely free from iron, wrought with facility, and often beautifully veined. The hewn fronts of buildings of this material on Main street, would advantageously compare in elegance with the marble edifices of the cities.
Report on the Geology of Massachusetts, 55. 2 ib. 462.
356
MISCELLANEOUS.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Municipal Officers. Selectmen. Clerks. Treasurers. Representatives. Fire De- partment. Fires and accidents by lightning.
Selectmen chosen since 1722.1
Nathaniel Moore 1722, 25-30, [32-35, 40
Nathaniel Jones 1722, 23
Elijah Cook
1742
Joshua Eaton 1742
Jonas Rice 1722, 24, 28, 30, 32,
[34, 35, 38, 40
John Gray 1722, 24
Henry Lee 1723
John Hubbard 1723
Benjamin Flagg, jr. 1723, 25, 30-
[32
Gershom Rice 1724, 27, 31, 33, 36, [39,46
James Taylor 1724, 26, 35, 39
Daniel Heywood 1724, 26, 27, 29,
[31, 34, 35, 38, 40, 42-46, 48-53
Moses Leonard 1725, 26
James McLellan 1725
Jonathan Lynds
1754
Timothy Paine 1754-63, 66-74
John Boyden
1754, 65
Gardner Chandler 1754-56
James Rice 1728
Tyrus Rice 1755
Zephaniah Rice 1729
Israel Jennison 1756-58, 61
Palmer Goulding 1731, 37, 41, 43
Josiah Brewer
1756, 62, 63
James Moore
1732, 36, 39, 41
William Young 1757, 74-77
Asa Moore 1757-62
Daniel Boyden 1759, 62
James Goodwin 1759
Gershom Rice, jr. 1736
Joshua Child 1737
Solomon Johnson 1742
Benjamin Flagg 1722, 23. 26, 28, [34, 35, 37-40, 43-51
Thomas Wheeler 1743-45, 49- [51, 53, 73, 74, 79
John Chadwick
1744, 45
Daniel Ward
1746-47
Joshua Bigelow 1747, 67-73, 75, [78
James Boyd 1747
Thomas Stearns 1748
John Chandler, jr. 1748-59, 61- [73
Daniel Ward 1752, 53
Elisha Smith 1752
John Curtis
1754, 55, 60
Nathaniel Moore, jr.
1754
James Holden 1725, 29, 30, 33, 36
William Jennison 1727-31,33,
[35, 37,38, 41
John Stearns 1732, 36, 41
John Chandler 1733-35, 37-40, [42-53
James Putnam 1760
1 When this mark - is placed between the dates, it indicates that the person was elected in the successive years between one and the other.
357
MUNICIPAL OFFICERS.
Jonathan Stone 1760, 67, 68, 72, [75-77
Edward Bangs 1803-1808
Joseph Holbrook 1803-1806 Nathaniel Harrington 1803-1809 Nathan White 1806-1819
Ephraim Doolittle 1763-66
Samuel Miller 1763-65, 75, 81, 82
Thomas Nichols
1808-1815
Jacob Hemenway
1764
Abraham Lincoln 1809-1824
Palmer Goulding 1764, 65, 71
William Eaton 1810-1813, 20-
Samuel Mower 1765
[22, 25-28,30
Josiah Pierce 1765, 74-76
John Gleason 1811-1815
Samuel Curtis 1766, 75, 90-94
William Chamberlain 1814, 22-
Benjamin Flagg 1766-77
[24
Micah Johnson
1769
Nathaniel Stowell 1816-1821
Nathan Baldwin
1770
John Flagg 1816-1820, 24, 27,
[28, 33, 34
David Bigelow 1776, 77, 79, 80, [83, 84
Peter Slater
1818-1821
Nathan Perry 1777,81-83,85-39
George Moore
1821-23
Benjamin Stowell
1777
John Kelso
1777
Edward D. Bangs 1823, 24
Ebenezer Lovell
1778, 79,84
Joel Gleason 1824
Robert Smith 1778, 79
William Stearns
1778, 79
John W. Lincoln 1825, 26, 33- [35
John Green
1780
Daniel Stone 1825, 26
Jonathan Rice
1780
Pliny Merrick 1827-29, 35
Joseph Barber
1780
Thomas Chamberlain 1827-29
Edward Crafts
1780
Frederic W. Paine
1827,31
William McFarland
1781, 82
Benjamin Butinan 1828, 29, 34, 35 Alpheus Merrifield 1829-32
John Gleason 1781, 82
Lewis Chapin
1820, 35, 36
Joseph Allen
1783
Asahel Bellows
1830
Joseph Wheeler
1783, 87-91
Lewis Barnard
1830
Samuel Brooks 1784-93
Benjamin Flagg
1831
John Chamberlain 1785-95, 97,
Luther Burnett, jr.
1831
[98, 1801, 02
Charles Allen
1832
Jesse Taft
1785, 86
Guy S. Newton
1832-35
Daniel Baird
1785-89
Jonathan Harrington 1832, 33
Alfred D. Foster 1833
Samuel Flagg 1790-1805, 1807
Samuel B. Thomas 1834
1835, 36
Nathaniel Paine 1794-1802
Ebenezer I. Barnard
1835, 36
Phineas Jones
1796, 97
Thomas Kinnicutt
1836
David Andrews 1798 -- 1802
Artemas Ward
1836
Ephraim Mower 1799-1810, 15 --
E. H. Hemenway 1835
[17
Thomas Harback
1336
John Gleason, jr. 1822-25
Otis Corbett 1825, 26, 30
Nathaniel Brooks
1778, 79, 84
Samuel Brown
1781, 82
Henry Heywood 1831, 32
Daniel Goulding 1784, 95, 96, 98
Benjamin Heywood 1792-97, 99, [1800
Simon S. Gates
Jacob Chamberlain 1761
358
MUNCIPAL OFFICERS.
Town Clerks since 1722.
1722 Jonas Rice.
1781
Daniel Goulding.
1723 Benjamin Flagg.
1783
William G. Maccarty.
1724 Jonas Rice.
1783 Daniel Goulding.
1729 Zephaniah Rice.
1787 Theophilus Wheeler.
1730
Benjamin Flagg.
1792
Daniel Goulding.
1731 Jonas Rice.
1796
Leonard Worcester, protem.
1753
Daniel Heywood
1797
Daniel Goulding.
1754 Timothy Paine.
1800
Oliver Fiske.
1764 John Chandler.
1803
Daniel Goulding.
1768
Clark Chandler.
1808
Enoch Flagg.
1775 Nathan Baldwin.
1816
Levi Heywood.
1778 William Stearns.
1818 Benjamin Chapin.
1780 Nathaniel Heywood.
1833 Samuel Jennison.
1780
Joseph Allen.
1836
Charles A. Hamilton.
Town Treasurers since 1722.
1722
Daniel IIeywood.
1775 Nathan Perry.
1723 Henry Lec.
1778
John Green.
1724 Daniel Ileywood.
1780
William Gates.
1725 Nathaniel Moore.
1781 Nathan Perry.
1726 James Taylor.
1790
Samuel Flagg.
1727
Henry Lec.
1791
Benjamin Heywood.
1729 Nathaniel Moore.
1795 Samuel Chandler.
1731 William Jennison.
1798'
Oliver Fiske.
1732 Daniel Heywood.
1799
Theophilus Wheeler.
1736 Gershom Rice, jr.
1803
Samuel Flagg.
1737
Palmer Goulding.
1808
Levi Lincoln, jr.
1739 Benjamin Flagg.
1815
James Wilson.
1741 John Chandler.
1829 Samuel Jennison.
1752 John Chandler, jr.
1830 Asa IIamilton.
1760 John Curtis.
1832 Charles A. Hamilton.
1761
John Chandler, jr.
1833
Charles G. Prentiss.
Representatives chosen since 1727.
Nathaniel Jones
1727
William Jennison
1728-30
Timothy Paine 1755-57, 59-62, [88,89
Palmer Goulding
1741
Ephraim Doolittle
1766, 67
Joshua Bigelow
1768-74
Ebenezer Lovell
1777
John Chandler 1736, 37, 40, 42,
David Bigelow 1777
[63-65
John Green
1777
Benjamin Flagg 1731, 43, 44, 46- [51
John Chandler, jr. 1732-35, 38,
[39,52,53
359
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Ezekiel How 1777
Benjamin Chapin 1829
Samuel Curtis 1778-85, 1802-
Charles Allen
1829, 32, 33
[1804, 1806
Frederic W. Paine 1829
Samuel Brooks 1786, 87
Alfred D. Foster
1831-34
Samuel Flagg 1790-98, 1805, 07
Jubal Harrington
1831, 35
Levi Lincoln, sen.
1796
Lewis Chapin 1832, 33
Nathaniel Paine 1799-1801
Winsor Hatch 1832, 33
Edward Bangs 1803-11
Silas Brooks 1832
Ephraim Mower 1806-1810
John Flagg 1833, 34
Nathan White 1808, 1812-15
Thomas Kinnicutt 1831, 36
Abraham Lincoln 1809-1823
Thomas Chamberlain 1834-36
William Eaton 1811-1813
David T. Brigham
1834
Levi Lincoln, jr. 1814-17, 20, 22
Samuel B. Thomas 1834
Thomas Harback 1835
Benjamin Goddard, 2d. 1835, 36
Samuel Ilarrington 1823
Benjamin Flagg
1835
Otis Corbett 1824, 26-28, 30, 31, [35
Guy S. Newton
1835
John W. Lincoln 1821-26, 32-
John C'oe
1836
Samuel M. Burnside
1826
Pliny Merrick
1827
Edward II. Hemenway 1836
FIRE DEPARTMENT. By the Act of Feb. 26, 1835, accepted by the town, a fire department was established in Worcester. Engi- neers are appointed by the selectmen, who are anthorised to exercise the same duties in relation to engine men as the selectmen before possessed, and the same power as to the extinguishment of fires be- fore belonging to firewards.
The Department was organized in May, 1835 : nine engineers, and three assistants were appointed. There are six fire companies, attached to as many engines, with these numbers, names, and sta- tions : 1. Hero, at Quinsigamond Village : 2. Rapid, at New Wor- cester : 3. Despatch, at Lincoln Square : 4. Torrent, at the Town HIall : 5. Extinguisher, in Goddard's Row : 6. Lafayette, on Colum- bian Avenue. The Hook and Ladder company, have their appara- tus on the common. Isaac Davis, Esq. is chief engineer.
FIRES, AND INJURIES BY LIGHTNING.
1767, May 25. The dwelling house of Mr. James Barber, and all his goods were consumed. The fire was occasioned by a defect of the oven.
[34
David Wadsworth 1836
Ebenezer L. Barnard 1836
Rejoice Newton 1828-30
William Lincoln
1835, 36
Edward D. Bangs 1810, 17, 20, 24
William Eaton 1822-25, 27-30
360
FIRES.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.