USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Clinton > History of the origin of the town of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1653-1865 > Part 15
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176
THE EARLY COMB-MAKERS.
of the community to take an important part in its later commercial development, and we shall also find him the spiritual center of the early Baptist society. He had six sons and seven daughters, who grew to maturity. These children were noted for their musical ability. All were good singers, and the boys played upon the various instruments which were then used in church choirs. John Burdett, Jr., was the only one of his sons who remained in this com- munity. This son was under the instruction of Thomas Frye, the Quaker teacher, for a while. He married Persis Houghton in 1832, and took his bride to a new house which he built some forty rods north of his father's. He remained here ten years. He then moved to Holliston.
While comb-making in this region had its origin with John Lowe, and was carried on in a small way, with varied regularity as an adjunct to farming, by a dozen or more proprietors, of whom Nathan Burdett has been taken as a type, yet it received its final development from the Harris family. In 1805, Daniel Harris of Boylston, received from the widow of John Hunt the surrender of all rights she possessed in the estate on Water Street. This John Hunt. during the few years he lived here, was a prominent man in .School District No. 10, and had charge of the building of the first school-house. He was "committee-man" from 1800 to 1802. We have already noted his large real estate transactions.
The Harris family had settled in Lancaster more than a century before. We have seen how Daniel Harris served in the Revolutionary War. Soon after the close of the Revo- lution, he married Abigail Reed, and his oldest son was seventeen years of age before he moved to the Hunt place, in 1805, while his youngest son was born in the year before his purchase. The farm bought by Daniel Harris was one of great arca. It began by the river near the present position of the "High Bridge" of the New York, New
177
HARRIS BRIDGE.
Haven & Hartford Railroad, and extended along the west bank of the river nearly to Elias Sawyer's dam. If Prescott Street was extended to meet the river at Lancaster Mills on one end, and High Bridge on the other, it would roughly mark its western boundary. It was the farm originally owned by John Prescott, 5th. It included some land east of the river. James Pitts says in his "Reminiscences": "From my earliest recollection, he ( Daniel Harris) always had a fine stock of cattle, with spacious barns and all suitable outbuildings, with the best horse and carriages in this part of the town-and what was better still, always plenty of money."
We have already noted the private "slab bridge" of the Prescotts' by which travellers on the road running east from the mills crossed the Nashua. In a map made by the state survey in 1795, it appears as "Prescott's bridge, 99 feet long." It is spoken of as a "town way." In May, 1807, the town refused to build Prescott's Bridge, but it gave to pri- vate parties one hundred and fifty dollars towards its con- struction. The acceptance of the bridge and roads was the result of skillful manœuvering on the part of Daniel Harris. The people at the "South End " had long been asking the town to take the bridge in charge and give them better ac- commodations, but the inhabitants of the other sections opposed increasing the taxes for uses that would bring no immediate benefit to themselves. In 1814, the people of Center and North Lancaster felt that the need of a new church was imperative. Here, the people of the "South End" who were less interested in the church saw their op- portunity, and they said that they would all join the little Baptist organization that was already springing up among them, unless the town would accede to their demands in re- gard to the bridge and roads. They carried their point, and Districts Nos. 10 and II were represented by Daniel Harris and Titus Wilder respectively upon the committee for choosing a site for the new church and estimating its cost.
13
178
THE EARLY COMB-MAKERS.
December 4, 1815, the town took formal possession of the bridge and the road leading to it from the county road to Boylston. In 1817, the care of "Harris Bridge" was as- signed to Gardner Pollard. The bridge was damaged by a freshet in 1818 and repaired by the town at an expense of one hundred and thirty-nine dollars.
We thus find Districts Nos. 10 and II working together. perhaps for the first time, against the rest of the town. Daniel Harris was by location and interests the connecting link between the two sections, and his name was appropri- ately given to the bridge. In 1822, it was rebuilt, with Daniel Harris as a member of the building committee, at a cost of one hundred and forty-six dollars and eighty-seven cents. In 1837, a much better bridge was built at a cost of four hundred and eighty-nine dollars and fifteen cents. The necessity for the repeated repair and rebuilding of the earlier bridges arose from their cheap and faulty construc- tion. Joseph Willard said in 1826: "It has, till lately, been usual to build them with piers resting upon mudsills. * * the ice freezing closely around the piers, the water, upon the breaking up of the river in spring, works its way underneath the ice which forms a compact body under the bridge, raises the whole fabric, which thus loosened from its foundations is swept away by the accumulated force of the large cakes of ice that become irresistible by the power of a very rapid current." Later, stone abutments were used with trestle work in the center. Later still, the bridges were made with a single arch.
From the time when he came to District No. 10, Mr. Harris took an earnest interest in the school, and served for three years as "committee man." He was a temperance man in an age when temperance men were rare. He died at the age of eighty, October 22, 1838. His wife followed him March 26, 1842, at the age of seventy-eight. His daughter, Maria, married Alanson Chace, and her children still retain a portion of the real estate which their mother
179
EMORY HARRIS.
inherited. The two other daughters married gentlemen who lived elsewhere, although the daughter of one of them, a Miss Plympton, married Levi Harris, and is still living on Water Street. For years, the old homestead of the grand- father was in possession of Levi Harris. This Levi Harris was born in Lunenburg in 1805. He learned comb-making of Gardner Pollard. He afterwards went to Leominster. After a time, he came back to this community and followed his trade at one of the Lowe shops. He lived in the Law- rence house. He became the owner of the Daniel Harris farm in 1844. He was a "quiet, honest, able citizen," one who "always attended strictly to his own business." He was a Unitarian in religion. He died October 13, 1883.
Emory, the oldest of the three sons, was born in 1788. We have seen how he learned the comb business of Nathan Burdett, but farming always took a large share of his time. He lived in the house formerly occupied by Richard Sargent. He bought this, with seventy-eight acres of land, of T. W. Lyon in 1812. The preceding year, Lyon had bought the house and about forty acres of land of Ebenezer Allen, who had bought it of Ephraim Brigham in ISO8. On the same side of the road was his shop, which was in later years made over into a dwelling-house by Edmund Harris, while his barns were on the southern side. In 1829, his estate was greatly enlarged by the purchase of the "Nat. Lowe farm," and the retention of the southerly portions.
Mr. Emory Harris was a very "hardworking" man, and at the time of his death in 1838 at the age of fifty, was worth from ten to fifteen thousand dollars. This was a greater wealth in gold value than Moses Sawyer, Ebenezer Allen or either of the Prescotts had ever possessed. The size of fortunes measured by money values had, however, already begun to increase in this section, as elsewhere in growing communities. If we would read history aright, we must remember that a hundred thousand dollars to-day in Clinton represents less comparative wealth than ten thousand
180
THE EARLY COMB-MAKERS.
did among the farming people and millwrights of a century ago, and that the change has been a gradual one.
On the tombstone of Mr. Harris, we find the inscription, " In him the poor and fatherless ever found a friend." Un- like many epitaphs this statement represents the chief characteristics of the man as he appeared to his neighbors. If any industrious young man wanted help to gain a start in life, it was to him that he appealed, and he never appealed in vain. If any were in trouble, they were sure to find in him a sympathizing friend and helper. A single incident will illustrate the character of the man. A child of Nathan Burdett's was suddenly taken very ill with croup while his father was on one of his teaming trips to Boston. It was known that the child could not live until the regular time of the father's return. The matter came to the ears of Emory Harris. He at once mounted his fastest horse and galloped away on the Boston Road. He never drew rein except to make a change of horses, until he had found the father. He told him the story and gave him his horse to return upon, while he himself took charge of the team for the rest of the trip. Thus he was constantly helping all who were in need.
Emory Harris married Hezediah Larkin in IS13. She died in 1820, at the age of twenty six. By this marriage, he had two children, George and Harriet. The latter married Charles L. Wilder of Lancaster. The former prepared for Brown University, where he graduated in the class of 1827. He was a scholar of rare ability and gave promise of a life of great usefulness, but after teaching about a year in an academy at Wrentham, he had an attack of typhoid fever, from which he died at the age of twenty-three. In 1821, Mr. Harris married for a second time. His bride was Sally Wilder. By this marriage, he had two children, Frederick and Emory. Frederick, the older, graduated from Harvard University in 1843. He preferred business to professional life, and, in a few years we find him engaged with Hiram W. Pitts of Middleboro in cotton manufacturing. Later, he was
ISI
ASAHEL HARRIS.
at Montreal in the same business and was becoming very successful, when, in 1863, he died at the age of forty. Emory spent his life on a portion of his father's farm, where he died in 1879. His name will appear in connection with the history of the new town, of which he was an active citi- zen.
Asahel Harris, the second son of Daniel, devoted him- self to comb making more exclusively than his brother, Emory, did, and, through his enterprise, the industry was de- veloped in new directions. He purchased of Samuel Dorrison in 1817 some of the land east of the river, now occupied by Mrs. E. A. Harris. A house was begun here some three years before by Mr. Dorrison on a lot of ten acres, purchased of Gardner Pollard. Great changes were made in and about the house by Mr. Harris. We may say it was practically built by him. He carried on the comb business very profit- ably in buildings constructed near his house. In 1826, he rented this house and the shops to Jonas B. White, who made combs here for two years. At this time, Asahel Harris put up the brick building between his father's house and that of his brother, Emory. The house is still standing northwest of the point where Prescott Street joins Water. The long row of wooden buildings attached to the house and now used for tenements, were his shops. Here, he used horse power. In 1828, the lands and dwelling-house on the east side of the river were sold to his younger brother, Sid- ney. In 1830 and '31, the dam was built by Asahel Harris, in company with Sidney, each having one-half of the power, Sidney on the east and Asahel on the west.
In 1834, Asahel Harris met with great business losses and the shops on the river, if indeed he possessed any, together with the right to half the water power, passed entirely into the hands of Sidney for four hundred dollars. After his father's death and that of his elder brother, Emory, both of which occurred in 1838, he took charge of his father's estate, but he transferred it to Levi Harris, who had married his
182
THE EARLY COMB-MAKERS.
sister's daughter. He died in 1844 at the age of fifty, of con- sumption, the disease which swept away so many of this family.
He was commonly known as Captain Harris, from his having had command of the Lancaster Light Infantry at the time of its organization in 1823. He is spoken of as a re- markably fine looking officer. His name is especially asso- ciated by our older native residents with "the musters," the grand holidays of their youth. He married Abigail Phelps in 1820, and had five children whose births are recorded, four boys and one girl. All of these died or moved away from Clinton before they had taken any prominent part in its affairs. One was a painter in Westboro; another fol- lowed his father's business in Leominster.
The history of the youngest brother, Sidney, belongs to later times and is therefore left for future consideration.
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182
THE EARLY COMB-MAKERS.
sister's daughter. He died in 1844 at the age of fifty, of con- sumption, the disease which swept away so many of this family.
He was commonly known as Captain Harris, from his having had command of the Lancaster Light Infantry at the time of its organization in 1823. He is spoken of as a re- markably fine looking officer. His name is especially asso- ciated by our older native residents with "the musters," the grand holidays of their youth. He married Abigail Phelps in 1820, and had five children whose births are recorded, four boys and one girl. All of these died or moved away from Clinton before they had taken any prominent part in its affairs. One was a painter in Westboro; another fol- lowed his father's business in Leominster.
The history of the youngest brother, Sidney, belongs to later times and is therefore left for future consideration.
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CHAPTER XI.
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10.
THERE is no record by which the date of the first school kept within the present limits of Clinton can be fixed, but it is probable that instruction was given in private houses by mutual agreement of families long before any special build- ing was erected for the purpose. As we have seen, in 1791, the district about Prescott's Mills received as its proportional share of the hundred pounds alloted by Lancaster to the various "squadrons" three pounds one shilling and ten- pence, and the district about Stephen Wilder's received two pounds nine shillings and eight pence. In 1795, these two districts were respectively known as Nos. 8 and 9. In 1801, by re-districting they became Nos. 10 and II. The records of the former district from 1800 to 1847 have been preserved and form one of the most valuable authorities now in exist- ence for the early history of this section of the town. The first entry was made March 25, 1800, Nathaniel Lowe, Jr., act- ing as clerk .*
* The spelling of the records is everywhere retained. The Lowes did not then use a final e in their name.
REQUEST FOR WARRANT FOR SCHOOL MEETING MARCH 25TH, 1800. To the Selectmen of Lancaster.
Gentlemen-We, the subscribers (Inhabitants within the limits of the School District No. 8 as appers in Town Records), request you to issue your warant for caling a Meeting in said Destrict for the follow - ing purpose, viz:
184
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10.
In answer to this request, a warrant was issued for a meeting April 4, 1800, at the house of Nathaniel Lowe, Jr., clerk. This meeting was adjourned until April 9th. At the adjournment it was voted, " that the School House should be finished where it now stands, yeas 7, nays 2." John Hunt, Moses Sawyer and Benjamin Gould were chosen a committee "to superintend the building and finishing of said House." At another adjournment of this meeting, held April 25th, it was voted, "that sixty pounds lawful Money be paid to fin- ish said School house." On the inquiry of the building com- mittee, the selectmen of Lancaster gave it as their opinion "that the place on which a frame said to be for a School House now stands at the corners of the following roads, viz: the road leading east to John Hunt's; the road leading west through Rigby Swamp, so called; the road leading north to the Meeting House; the road leading South to Moses Saw- yer's is the most convenient place in the district, and do then in our capacity order the same to be erected." The building was erected at the southwest corner of the intersec- tion of these streets. It was twenty-four feet long from north to south and eighteen broad. The entrance hall was at the northeast end opening from Water Street. Here, the boys kept their hats, "comforters" and overcoats, if they were so fortunate as to have overcoats. There was a closet for the girls in the northwest corner of the building, open-
Ist. To choose a Moderator to govern said Meeting.
2nd. To choose a Clerk.
3rd. To determine in what part of the District to erect a School Ilouse.
4th. To raise money for building a School House.
5th. To choose a committee to Superintend the building of the same; or anything relative thereto, and the same committee be Author- ized to hire Suitable Teachers for the present year.
Lancaster, Mar. 25th, 1800.
NATHANIEL LOW, JR. RICHARD SARGENT, JR. JOIIN PRESCOTT.
185
ANNALS.
ing from the school-room. Between these, the great fire- place occupied the center of the northern side of the room. It was large enough to hold wood four feet in length. Each of the other sides of the room had two windows, cach con- taining twelve lights of seven-by-nine glass and having board shutters. There were seats entirely around these three sides of the room, the walls constituting the backs, and in front of these were the "writing benches" which also served as backs for a row of seats for the smaller scholars. The teacher's table and seat were movable. The walls were sheathed with common boards, the ceiling was plastered.
November 17, 1800, John Hunt was made a committee "to provide a School Master for the ensuing winter." No record is to be found, however, in regard to any school dur- ing this season. April 20, 1801, it was voted "that Sixty Dol- lars be paid by a tax to finish the School House." July 30, it was voted "that a woman School be kept two months from date to be paid for with the Town's money the ensuing winter." "Agreed with Miss Sally Sawyer to keep said School at one dollar per week." "Agreed with Capt. John Prescott to board said School Mistress for five Shillings per week." Thus, Sally Sawyer became the first teacher whose name has been handed down to the present time. Twelve dollars and seventy cents were voted October 4th for finishing ceiling and building seats. December 7th, it was voted, "that the School be Kept four weeks on the School money." All record of such a school is lost, if it ever existed. Sally Sawyer's wages were advanced a sixpence per week for her sixteen weeks' teaching during the next summer and autumn.
There is no record for the year 1803. April 9, 1804, the district is called No. 10 for the first time in the records. In 1805, Nathaniel Lowe, Jr., and Jonathan Barnard werc chosen a committee to repair the school-house with "window shutters and glass." Peter Larkin was made teacher for seven weeks during the winter of 1807-8, and received for his services twenty-two dollars and seventy-five cents and
I86
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10.
board. In the summer of 1808, there were eight weeks of woman school. October 31, 1808, Titus Wilder, Jr., was hired to keep school seven weeks, at four dollars and fifty-eight cents per week," boarding himself." During this year it was voted to find wood among the families of the district in pro- portion to the number of scholars each sent, and the follow- ing list is given with number of scholars each: "Calvin Winter, four; Samuel Allen, three; Daniel Harris, three; J. Rice, three; E. Rice, three; N. Low, two; J. Prescott, one; J. Goldthwait, one; J. Winter, one; E. Sawyer, one; T.W. Lyon, one; J. Low, three." In all, twelve families sent twenty-six scholars. From this time on, it was customary to have two terms of school, one taught by a woman in the summer and one taught by a man in the winter. The length of terms was from six to ten weeks, the average being nearer the latter limit. About one-third of the money was expended on the woman school, and two-thirds on the man school.
In 1823, in consequence of the increase in the number of scholars on account of the development of Poignand & Plant's manufacturing enterprise and the growth of the comb business, the accommodations were found insufficient, and since it was deemed inexpedient to repair the old house, a committee consisting of Daniel Harris, Ebenezer Pratt, David Poignand, Willard Howe and John Burdett, was appointed to consider sites for a new building. It was voted December 8th, to build "in front of Capt. Lyon's." David Poignand, Joseph Rice and James Pitts were chosen a build- ing committee. January 5, 1824, it was voted, that the plan presented by James Pitts be adopted " for the model" of the house. April 19, 1824, four hundred and twenty dollars were appropriated for the building. This house stood on the west side of Main Street, with its northern end just at the point where the southern end of Parson's blacksmith shop now stands. It was built of brick, and the arrangement of the interior differed from that of most school-houses then in vogue by having all the scholars' desks on one side of the
IS7
"COMMITTEE MEN" AND TEACHERS.
room, opposite that of the teacher, which was on the western side of the building, the door being on the north. There were four rows of scholars' desks raised in tiers one above the other.
Nearly every citizen of long continued residence held the office of "committee man."* The title of agent was used after 1832. The work of this committee man or agent was largely prudential in its nature, as the school committee of Lancaster, taken as a whole, had a general oversight of the schools. Rev. Nathaniel Thayer was the general adviser in regard to educational methods, here as elsewhere through- out the town, and he was a frequent and welcome visitor in the school.
Most of the teacherst were from Sterling, Berlin or Lan-
* The following is the list of "Committee men :"
1800-1801. John Hunt.
1819. Daniel Harris.
1801-1802. John Hunt.
1820.
William "Tombs."
1803. No record.
1821. Samuel Plant.
1822. David Poignand.
1804. Joseph Rice.
Samuel Allen.
1824.
Emory Harris.
1805.
? Edward Low.
1826.
George Howard.
1806.
? Jabez B. Low. Second half
1828. George Sawyer.
1807. Daniel Harris.
1829.
Eben Pratt.
1808.
Joseph Rice.
1830.
Hiram P. White.
1809. Nathaniel Low.
1831. George Howard.
ISIO. John Low.
1832. Nathan Burditt.
18II. Daniel Harris.
1833.
Emory Harris.
1812-1815. No record.
1834. Amory Pollard,
1816. Emory Harris.
1835.
John Burditt.
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