History of the town of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, Part 7

Author: Hobart, Benjamin, 1781-1877
Publication date: 1866
Publisher: Boston, T. H. Carter and son
Number of Pages: 552


USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Abington > History of the town of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement > Part 7


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The cultivation of ornamental and fruit trees has been 1.


greatly extended; flowers and flowering shrubs are largely cultivated, with an abundance of fruits, such as currants, strawberries, raspberries, &c., not to mention other fruits, as pears, peaches, quinces, grapes and tomatoes. These are esteemed as articles of luxury, and are not produced for sale. In former times the cultivation of these fruits could not be attended to, or only partially, as more substantial products were required for the support of the inhabitants and for market.


On the other hand, there were formerly many products of the farm raised which are now almost entirely neglected ; among these, flax and wool have already been named. The making of butter and cheese has greatly fallen off, especially of the latter. Not one-tenth part, probably, is now made that was then. Neat cattle and swine are scarcely raised at all,- these being mostly purchased from drovers when young. Formerly none were purchased in this way. It is estimated that nine-tenths of all the corn and other grains consumed in town are from abroad, and a like proportion of the meats are from out of town. We do not even raise a supply of potatoes for our own consumption.


The great contrast between the agricultural products of former times and those of the present time arises out of the change of circumstances. Then it was a struggle for mere subsistence. In the absence of almost all manufactures, tilling the soil was the main employment, and it was an imperious necessity ; otherwise the town could not have been settled. The inhabitants could not have been fed and clothed ; but by raising the articles above named, in counection with domestic manufactures, these objects were accomplished.


At the present time, agriculture and manufactures go hand in hand, and are a support to each. other ; but that the estab- lishment of manufactures here has been the occasion of greater


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prosperity than would have resulted from attending mainly to agriculture, even if it had possessed a better soil, will be apparent if we compare this town, in which manufactures prevail, with those in the vicinity which are more exclusively agricultural. Whilst some of them have receded in popula- tion and valuation, this town has gone ahead surprisingly, and is the largest in population of any town in the county, and stands the highest in valuation.


The following statisties of the agricultural products and neat stock of the town, as returned in the late United States Census, will give some idea of the amount, and at the same time afford data for comparing the amount of these products in former and present times. They will also show, as stated above, that many articles raised then are now entirely omitted.


211 horses, $100 each, . $21,100.00


367 milch cows, $30 each,


11,010.00


54 working oxen, $50 each,


2,700.00


99 other cattle, $20 each,


1,980.00


27 sheep, $3 each,


81.00


242 swine,


4,840.00


$41,711.00


FARMING PRODUCTS.


40 bushels wheat, $1.25 per bushel,


$50.00


184 bushels rye, $1,


184.00


2,977 bushels Indian corn, $1 per bush., .


2,977.00


205 bushels oats, 50c. per bush.,


103.00


5 lbs. wool, 60c. per lb., .


3.00


7 bushels peas and beans, $2 per bush.,


14.00


3,798 bushels Irish potatoes, 50c. per bush., 51 bushels barley, 75e. per bush.,


38.00


5,536 lbs. butter, 20e. per lb.,


1,117.00


1,570 lbs. cheese, 10c. per lb.,


157.00


881 tons hay, $18 per ton,


15,858.00


5 lbs. beeswax, 50e. per lb.,


2.50


20 lbs. honey, 20c. per lb., .


4.00


Value of animals slaughtered, . .


51,052.00


$73,458.50


·


·


1,899.00


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The foregoing schedule of stock and agricultural products, if carried out together, according to present prices, would amount in the gross to $115,169.50.


This return was made out in the late census of the United States, not with a view to taxation or valuation, but to give in the aggregate some estimation of the stock and agricultural products of the nation. The valuation recently taken by the assessors of the town doubtless shows a very different result ; but as that is on record, it is not necessary to compare the two statements. In several small products stated above, there is quite a discrepancy. Twenty-seven sheep are returned, which probably is not one-quarter of the number, and only five pounds of wool. Twenty pounds of honey is returned, which, it is presumed, is not one-tenth part of the true amount. Four pounds of beeswax is named, which it would require the comb of more than one hundred pounds of honey to produce.


Agriculturists were questioned as to their products ; some probably evaded answering, some guessed at it, and some under-rated the amounts ; all fearing, perhaps, that a true statement might lead to an increase of their valuation, and add to their taxes. The butter returned would not be fifteen pounds to a cow, when, it is probable, it is twice that amount. So of the return of corn and potatoes ; the amount named must fall far short of the reality. The working oxen and other cattle, exclusive of cows, must be nearly double the amount returned. If it is intended to give a true account of the animals slaughtered, including those purchased out of town with those raised in town, the number is too small by half. One establishment (Vinson Blanchard's) returned the amount slaughtered by him at $28,000 ; and there are several other establishments which do a large business, but have made no returns.


But notwithstanding these discrepancies, this return affords much information and data for comparing the past with the present. As stated above, there were many articles of pro- duce cultivated then which are not even named in the foregoing


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schedule, and, if named, the amount is so insignificaut as not to be worth noticing ; some of which have already been named, as flax, sheep, wool, young cattle and swine, goats and geese ; and, from my own knowledge, may be added colts, domestic fowls, tobacco and flax-seed. As to, one leading article- cheese-returned, fifteen hundred and seventy pounds, some single dairies then made double that amount.


This article formerly was a staple commodity of the town ; some farmers kept from twelve to twenty cows, and all farms were stocked to the utmost exteut in this way. The amount was doubtless over one hundred tons, two hundred thousand pounds, by three hundred farmers. This would average about six hundred and sixty-six pounds to each. This amount was for the market, exclusive of what was consumed by the farmer ; and at nine to ten cents per pound, would amount to about $20,000.


Butter was made then, probably, triple in amount to what it is now, and many more cows were kept.


There was more land cleared up for agricultural purposes in fifty years previous to 1810 than in the fifty years since, and it is even doubtful whether there was not as much land then improved for agricultural purposes as now. Much then cleared up has been suffered to grow up for wood, and much is covered with bushes.


Yet, as stated above, the value of farming products at the present time is much greater than formerly ; not for sale, but for consumption. This is owing to the increase of gardens, and a much higher cultivation of these and other lands. Fruits and vegetables are raised in great abundance, as also hay, which is one of the most profitable products of agriculture. Eight hundred and eighty-one tons is stated in the census, but the amount is probably more than fifteen hundred tons, worth, according to present prices, about $30,000.


But according to present appearances, it seems that agricul- tural pursuits must be greatly increased. There is a surplus of labor, and sufficient employment cannot be found. Excess of foreign immigration, and labor-saving machinery, have


7*


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caused this. There must be a resort to farming, or there must be a large emigration from the town. The lands in town are not, probably, more than one-quarter part cultivated, and are capable of great improvements. Here is a field for much labor, with promising rewards. A good market is at our doors, and good prices cau be had; a bushel of corn raised here is worth two bushels raised at the West, and other products are of like relative value. This is owing to the cost of transportation and commissions. To illustrate this, a story is told of two farmers travelling together in the West ; one a Western man, the other an Eastern. The Eastern farmer inquired of the Western what quantity of corn, on an average, was grown ou an acre there, and what was its worth. He answered, forty bushels, and worth ten dollars (twenty- five cents per bushel) ; and inquired in turn what was the average quantity, and its worth, at the East (Duxbury, Mass., for he was from there). He answered, twenty bushels, and worth fifteen dollars (seventy-five cents per bushel) ; one-third more than forty bushels at the West.


In addition to all these products, one great leading article of consumption might be cultivated to great advantage, and * that is wheat. I have seen it stated somewhere, that the whole West does not average over fifteen bushels to the acre. I have raised several hundred bushels in the twenty-five years past, and have received, according to my impressions, over one hundred dollars in premiums from the Plymouth County Agricultural Society, and no premium was given for a less quantity on an acre than twenty bushels. At one time I raised twenty-seven and a half bushels on one acre, and several other times something under twenty bushels, for which I received no premium, it requiring twenty bushels for that purpose.


By availing ourselves of the various modes of improving soils, and by a judicious use of the fertilizers discovered by chemical analysis, and other means, wheat might be raised sufficient for the consumption of the whole community, and for


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export. These improvements must take place in a few years, else labor must seek its employment elsewhere.


There is another class of labor which is now much depressed, and ought to find better encouragement and better rewards,- and that is female labor. Many of the former female occu- pations are gone ; spinning and weaving, as formerly, are superseded by cotton and woollen factories ; braiding straw for bonnets is over ; binding and fitting of boots and shoes is almost done with. Sewing-machines have displaced much needle-work. Domestic work in families, by hired help, is principally done by a foreign class of females, and it is their principal support. Formerly this labor was done by American females. And now what remunerating employments are left to American females, and to many others ? Those who liave sufficient to do in their own houses, or in their fathers' families, are provided for ; but besides these, how are the wives without children, widows, and young and more advanced females, un- married, to find employment ? These questions apply to the country at large, as well as to this town, and particularly to our cities. I cannot answer them, and am astonished at their importance and magnitude.


It is for the interest and welfare of the whole community to provide suitable and adequate labor for this dependent and numerous class. There are four thousand three hundred females in this town; if we allow three thousand of them to be children, mothers and daughters that can be supported and employed at home, what becomes of the other one thousand three hundred, or even half of them ? As I have said just above, I cannot answer the question. I hope some suitable and profitable employment will be found for them. I cau only, for this purpose, suggest the raising of silk-worms aud the manufacture of silks, the making of lace, ribbons, gauze, embroidery, children's toys, and other fanciful works. But men of capital must begin the work by providing the means ; planting mulberry trees, furnishing the newly prepared flax, and suitable buildings. These efforts will come in aid of


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agriculture. Let our farmers and others immediately begin the work, by setting out mulberry trees on their vacant lands, ornamental grounds, and beside the roads. I, some years since, received twenty dollars premium for the cultivation of mulberry trees, having over eleven hundred growing at one time ; but the silk fever, as it was then called, died away, and many of the trees, for want of care, failed ; but quite a number survived, and are now among my ornamental and flourishing trees.


There are, at this time, for our encouragement, two agri- cultural library associations in town : one at Centre Abington, the other at East Abington. The one at Centre Abington is composed of thirty-six members, paying five dollars each for membership ; annual subscribers pay one dollar yearly. They have between one and two hundred volumes of well-selected books on agriculture. The other association, at East Abing- ton, has about the same number of members and books as the one at Centre Abington, and is in a flourishing condition.


The Plymouth County Agricultural Society has never been of much use to this town. It was incorporated in 1819. There were two members named in the act of incorporation in Abington-Nathan Gurney and Jared Whitman. In 1820, at the adoption of the act and the formation of the constitution and by-laws, there were five other original members, viz. : James Bates, Lebbeus Gurney, Seth Hunt, Benjamin King and Isaac Reed, making seven in all. Of this number only two are now living-Lebbeus Gurney and Jared Whitman. From that time to 1854, thirty-four years, six more only joined, among them Elihu Hobart in 1821, Benjamin Hobart in 1838, Samuel Reed in 1851, and the others towards the last of this period, making thirteen in all. In 1854 and 1855, there were added forty-three, and up to 1857 five more, making the whole number which ever belonged to the Society from this town sixty-one, unless there may be two others who have joined since 1857.


The large addition in 1854 and 1855, was owing to the exertions of the then President, (Benjamin Hobart,) the Vice-


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President, (Benjamin King,) and two trustees (Freeman P. Howland and Stetson Vaughn). The President and Vice- President were removed in 1856, and the two trustees soon after. There is now but one officer in town, Henry A. Noyes, who is one of the Trustees. At the commencement of 1854, there were in this town but seven members living that belonged to the Plymouth County Agricultural Society.


Previous to the election of the President from this town, the awards of premiums to persons in this town annually were very small,-a few dollars only,-frequently not exceeding ten ; but during his Presidency they increased greatly, and amounted to between one and two hundred dollars yearly. Since his removal, they have fallen back to the old stan- dard.


Here, it may be asked, Why was this change ? No com- plaint was ever made against one of the officers in this town for dereliction of duty. I (I may as well speak under my own name as President,) was highly applauded by resolves unanimously passed at the very meeting of the corporation at which I was superseded. The resolutions characterized my services as President, as able, faithful, and successful, (this is the amount ; I have not the words before me,) and they stand recorded in the records of the society. And further, as a very great compliment, I was, by these very Trustees, many of whom joined in my removal, at their very next meeting honored by their choosing me a member of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, whereof the Governor of the Common- wealth, His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor, and the Secretary of State, were members ex officiis, with three other members appointed by the Governor and Council, and one member from each Agricultural Society in the State. I declined the appointment, with the remark that if I was not qualified to fill the office which I held, I would not represent them in another and a higher office.


I do not suppose that proceedings which appear to me so unworthy of gentlemen associated for the public good origin- ated in the society generally, but in a few of the leading


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officers in Bridgewater, with some few others in the vicinity. The great increase of members, and the influence which the officers in this town began to have, seem to have excited unworthy feelings. They were rebuked in some of their measures ; and others not agreeable to them, but thought by other members to be for the general benefit, were carried out by the influence of the officers from here.


If such proceedings are to characterize the County Society, it is very evident that the agricultorists of this town have not much to expect from it. In order that the members from this town may be able cordially to cooperate with the society, it must be governed by truly liberal principles. That society lias become too much a town,-a Bridgewater society ; let it be so in name, if it is to be so in reality ; and let the inhabi- tants of Abington form a town agricultural society. The work has already been begun in the formation of two library asso- ciations. This town may, with its population, wealth, agricul- tural and horticultural products, and its energy, very soon, unless its character shall improve, rival the County Society, and go ahead, hand in hand, with the Hingham Society ; and it may soon be so with other town societies in the county. In this way the suggestions made above may be carried out, and improvements made such as will greatly advance the interests of farmers, and find employment for the great excess of labor in the town, and, more particularly, devise and provide some- thing for the employment of that large and interesting class of females named above.


I may add something hereafter to the above chapter, espec- ially the last part of it.


CHAPTER VIII.


Agriculture and Horticulture-Continued.


IN the last chapter I intimated that I might add some- thing more, by way of illustration, respecting the doings of the Plymouth County Agricultural Society, at their corpora- tion meeting in 1856, when they dismissed the President and Vice-President, residents of this town ; and besides these two officers, there were at that meeting five others superseded, making seven in all, viz .: Horace Collamore, (Vice-Presi- dent,) Peter Salmon, Joseph Chamberlain, Abraham T. Lowe, . and Austin J. Roberts, Trustees ; and there were two vacan- cies to be filled-one of them occasioned by the declining of the Hon. Aaron Hobart, of East Bridgewater, and one by death, the Hon. Seth Sprague, of Boston. The aggregate time of membership of the seven superseded was one hundred and forty-nine years. The seven elected in their stead were Charles G. Davis, President ; Barnabas Thatcher and George W. Bryant, Vice-Presidents, and the following Trustees : Albert Fearing, James HI. Mitchell, Jesse Murdock, and Edwin H. Kingman, whose aggregate time of membership was fourteen years ; the President two years, one Vice-Presi- dent three years, the other one year ; one Trustee five years, and the three others averaging one year each. There were two other Trustees chosen at that meeting, which supplied the two vacancies, viz., Spencer Leonard, Jr., of Bridgewater, and Nahum Snell, of West Bridgewater, their first election to that office.


Thus it appears that the aggregate time of membership of the seven officers removed was ten times as long as that of those who superseded them. Individually it was thus: the President, Benjamin Hobart, had been a member eighteen years ; Benjamin King, Vice-President, thirty-six years ; Horace Collamore, the other Vice-President, twenty-six years;


(83)


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Trustees : Peter Salmon, thirty-six years ; Joseph Chamber- lain, nineteen years; Abraham T. Lowe, seven years ; Austin J. Roberts, seven years. At the same time, also, they had served in the aggregate, as officers, fifty-three years : indivi- dually, Benjamin Hobart, eight years; Benjamin King, eight years ; Horace Collamore, fourteen years ; Peter Salmon, six years ; Joseph Chamberlain, fourteen years ; Abraham T. Lowe, two years; and Austin J. Roberts, one year. Whereas no one of those who superseded them had previously held any office, except the President, Charles G. Davis, Esq., who was chosen Trustee one year, next preceding his election to the Presidency.


But besides the offices which they held when superseded, they had, which is of muchi more consequence, been large contributors to the society by the exhibition of stock, fruits and vegetables for premiums, and for claims of premiums for agricultural improvements and products ; made many reports of the success of their experiments, which were published in the transactions of the society, and printed in some of the State Agricultural Reports : had received several hundred dollars in premiums, and made many claims which received no premiums, but which cost the claimants as much to make as those which did. Horace Collamore was a practical farmer, and made many experiments, and received, I should say, over two hundred dollars in premiums, and so it was with all the others removed, more or less. Joseph Chamber- lain, Abraham T. Lowe, and Austin J. Roberts, were quite large contributors to the exhibitions. In respect to myself, I am not disposed to say much. As near as I can estimate, I have received over three hundred dollars in premiums, and have spent twice that amount in expenses to obtain them. My services as President were laborious and expensive, and have been very trying. I found much opposition to many of the changes and improvements which I proposed, but finally they were carried out, and the result was highly approved.


In view of these circumstances, it evidently appears that the great interest of agriculture, which it ought to be the leading


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object of the society to promote, was not consulted in these removals and changes, but sectional and private views pre- vailed, not to say jealousy, at the success of the efforts of others. Contrast the long membership of those then put out of office, and their great experience in farming, and the many offerings which they made and the rewards they received, with the brief period of those who took their places, not averaging over two years each ; and they were not farmers, nor had any pretensions as such, and never, to my knowledge, up to 1856, claimed or received any premiums from the society to any amount.


Practical experience in agriculture is of slow growth ; but oue experiment can be made in a year. Two crops are not available annually of the great staples of the farmer. How important, then, is it for an agricultural society to avail itself of all the experience of its members. When the Hon. Morrill Allen, the model farmer, and the Hon. Seth Sprague, resigned the Presidency of the society, they were chosen Trustees, and served in that capacity for a number of years, and the former gentleman acted for a long time as Supervisor. In this way the society availed itself of their experience, but in the removal of the officers in 1856, not one was retained in any office. They were thrust out without knowing why.


At the meeting of the society mentioned at the commence- ment of this chapter, another proceeding, and one of ques- tionable character, took place, though it is true it was not a new one, but had existed for quite a number of years. The proceeding alluded to is choosing officers, (Trustees particu- larly,) that would not generally attend the meetings of the society, and some that would not attend at all. This, whether designed or not, would give to the members in Bridgewater, and near by, in adjoining towns, the entire management of all the concerns of the society ; and this generally fell to the lot of four or five. As an instance of this, I would state that at that meeting Barnabas Thatehier, Esq., of East Bridgewater, a very respectable farmer, was chosen Vice-President against his express dissent to be a candidate, and said that he would


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not take the office, and, if chosen, would never attend to the duties (by virtue of that office he would have been one of the Trustees), and he never did; and yet he was elected to the same office the next year, and never met with the Trustees on any occasion. Also at that meeting a very worthy gentle- man, and a distinguished patron of agriculture, was chosen a Trustee,-Albert Fearing, Esq., who resides in Boston, and is at the head of the Agricultural Society in Hingham. He became a member of the Plymouth County Agricultural So- ciety just previous to his election. The probability was that he would seldom attend, if ever, and would never take any active part in the concerns of the society.


The question arises here, why were such changes made ? As stated before, it was not probably the doings of the society generally. Leaving out the feelings of those whom these changes set aside, were they favorable to the farming interests ? It took the society by surprise ; generally there was no idea of a change. Many of the movers of this surprise were elected to office at that meeting. These proceedings were seconded by a few of the leaders at head-quarters, (Bridgewater,) where there was always felt to be an opposition to the efforts of those out of that town, who exerted themselves to bring about the improvements and changes in the concerns of the society, which all now approve. A Trustee, the year when these changes and improvements were going on, said to me,-" Why do the Bridgewater people show so cold a shoulder to our pro- ceedings ?" And one of the leadng officers in that town, said to me, being put out at some of the proceedings of the chairman of the building committee, (Joseph Chamberlain, Esq.)- "He shall not be a Trustee another year ;" and it proved so. Another of the Trustees at that time, (Stetson Vaughn, of this town,) remarked to me,-" The Bridgewater folks want everything in their own way." I could eunmerate many instances of opposition to me, coming from the same source, whilst I was exerting myself, as President, to build up the agricultural establishments there. This appears from the fact that, when urged to use my influence to have them at Abing-




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