History of the town of Acton, Part 45

Author: Phalen, Harold Romaine, 1889-
Publication date: 1954
Publisher: Cambridge, Mass. : Middlesex Printing, Inc.
Number of Pages: 528


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > History of the town of Acton > Part 45


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 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49


431


Engagements:


Nov. 18, 1862, Ludlow Lawrence's Plantation on the Blackwater.


Dec. 12, 1862, Joiner's Ford on the Blackwater


Jan. 30, 1863, Deserted House.


April 11, 1863, Began the siege of Suffolk


Mustered out June 3, 1863.


432


APPENDIX XXI


LIST OF NAMES INSCRIBED ON THE MEMORIAL PLAQUE FOR WORLD WAR I OPPOSITE THE DAVIS MONUMENT ON ACTON COMMON


Allsopp, Ernest E.


Foley, Michael


Bayeur, Henry A.


Foley, Thomas


Benere, Donatus W.


Forbes, Crandall W.


Berry, Ernest


Freeman, Richard D.


Billings, Howard J.


Frost, Alan B.


Blanchard, Webster S.


Frost, Lillian E.


Bresth, Alexander


Gallagher, Thomas C.


Bresth, Harold S.


Gallant, Joseph


Briggs, George H.


Gallant, Raymond A.


Briggs, Jesse A.


Gates, Ralph E.


Burke, Edward L.


Giamone, Frank R.


Burke, Henry B.


Gilmore, Walter F.


Campbell, D. Norman


Goding, Arthur T.


Cheney, Robert B.


Gould, Glenn C.


Christiansen, Arthur M.


Greenough, Frank E.


Christie, Robert E.


Hall, H. Wesley


Clark, Harry J.


Harris, Alfred B.


Clark, Orma Lawrence


Hayes, Raymond E.


Clayton, John


Hayes, William T.


Coolidge, Harold B.


Hayward, George K.


Coughlin, John


Heath, Charles H.


Coughlin, Mary E.


Hettinger, Harry


Coughlin, William C.


Hoar, Burton H.


Cram, Lowell H.


Hoar, Carl S.


Currier, Donald H.


Hodgen, Hugh


Currier, Louis W.


Huntoon, William


Dane, Stephen H.


Hurley, James J.


Daniels, Howard B.


Kenney, John


Davis, John


Klein, Philip E.


Durkee, Raymond F.


Lawrence, Harland B.


Emerson, Leon W.


Leveroni, Louis F.


Evans, Albert W.


Lowden, Theron A.


Fairbanks, J. Madison


McAllister, Frederic T.


Farrar, Raymond F.


McAllister, Norman F.


Flagg, Carrol H.


McCarthy, Frank A.


Flagg, Harland W.


McClinathan, Walter H.


Foley, David J.


McWayne, John


433


Mekkelsen, Soren M. Merriam, Herbert W. Millan, John


Richardson, Harold M.


Roche, Leo B.


Sawyer, Benjamin H.


Nagle, Frederick W.


Sawyer, Philip D.


Newsham, Thomas


Shaw, Frederick K.


Newsham, William


Sisson, John P.


Nichols, Orla E.


Smiley, Charles D.


Nims, Buchanan


Smiley, William E.


Nims, Pliny


Sylvestre, Charles D.


Olsen, Oscar


Tuttle, Howard K.


O'Connor, William


Wetherbee, Lyman M.


Pendergast, Edward


West, Charles S.


Quimby, Howard


Whitcomb, Ernest L.


Quinlan, James


White, Richard P.


Quinlan, Robert


Willis, Nelson B.


Randall, R. Earl


Womboldt, Hugh E.


Reed, Everett


Woodward, Frank H.


Reed, G. Howard


Wright, Raymond E.


Richardson, Charles E. S.


Of this group Howard Quimby died in France while awaiting trans- portation back to the United States.


434


APPENDIX XXII


ACTON CITIZENS WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR II, AND IN THE MERCHANT MARINE AT THAT TIME, AND UP TO AND INCLUDING THE KOREAN CONFLICT.


Note: Those marked with a star were killed in action in World War II.


Aldred, Earl R.


Bursaw, William W.


Aldred, Paul K.


Butler, Horace B.


Andersen, James M.


Butler, George W.


Anderson, Edwin A.


Buxton, Harold A.


Anderson, John M.


Byers, David B.


Anderson, Walter A.


Byers, John S.


Anderson, Wiltho M.


Callanan, Charles M.


Ashline, Nelson F.


Callanan, James B.


Baker, Milton O.


Campbell, John McL.


Ballard, Walter M.


Carey, Lester O.


Ballard, Walter M., Jr.


Caron, Leo W.


Barnhart, Leroy F.


Chaplin, Harold F.


Barnhart, Richard B.


Charter, Franklin H.


Barry, David M.


Charter, George H.


Bartlett, Robert A.


Charter, John W.


Beach, Raleigh W.


Charter, Wesley D.


Begley, Robert M.


Chickering, Emerson K.


Billings, Bernard


Chisolm, Walter F.


Birch, Warren F.


Claflin, Charles E.


Bird, Frederick T., Jr.


Claflin, Leon M., Jr.


Boatman, Dewey E.


Clapp, Robert E.


Bohunicky, Philip W.


Clapp, Victor


Bondelevitch, Stanley W.


Clark, Robert E.


Boyer, Charles W., Jr.


Clemence, George B.


Bardley, James


Cole, Thomas W., Jr.


Braman, George W.


Conheeney, James P.


Briggs, Russell L.


Condon, William E.


Brooks, Robert A.


Conquest, Frederick S.


Bulette, Henry F.


Conquest, John F.


Bundy, Hazel O.


Conquest, Thomas R.


Bundy, Lloyd


Costello, Edwin J.


Bursaw, Burton B.


Costello, John H.


Bursaw, Edward W.


Cullinane, Cornelius C., Jr.


Bursaw, Richard P.


Curley, Edmund M.


435


Braman, Clarence E.


Collins, Francis


*Britt, Robert F.


Connor, Thomas L., Jr.


Curley, John J. Curley, Michael G.


Files, Donald L.


Flagg, Alden C., Jr. Flagg, William H.


Fletcher, Robert J.


Flint, Carl W. Fobes, James E.


Fobes, Ralph E.


Davis, Richard C.


Fogarty, Warren R.


Day, Dr. Joseph P., Jr.


Foote, Frederick M.


Day, Joseph P. 3rd


Foster, Albert E.


Deane, Richard M.


Fraser, Margaret E.


Decker, James A.


Fraser, Wilfred A.


DeFigueredo, Lincoln S.


Freeman, Carl A.


Derby, Benjamin E.


Freeman, Harold R.


Derby, Richard A.


Freeman, Samuel L.


Dexter, Charles R.


Freeman, William H.


Dickson, George H.


French, James H., Jr.


Dickson, Henry S.


Frizzle, Norman A., Jr.


Diggs, Daniel E.


Frost, Robert E.


Dingee, James H.


Gallagher, Thomas C.


Dingee, John A.


Gallagher, Thomas C., Jr.


Dorchester, John


Gallant, Richard A.


Dow, Robert G.


Gates, Dr. Paul P.


Downey, Frank E.


Gilbert, Alfred G., Jr.


Downey, George P.


Gilbert, George B.


Doyle, Henry D.


Gilbert, Norman R.


Dragon, Augustave J.


Godfrey, Carl R.


Drury, William W.


Goodearl, Robert F.


Dugan, James L.


Goodwin, Kenneth R.


Duggan, John P.


Goodwin, Paul E.


*Duggan, Peter J.


Gould, Glenn, Jr.


Durand, Robert I.


Gowen, Elmer F., Jr.


Duren, Irving S., Jr.


Granberg, Alfred O.


Durkee, Albert W.


Gravlin, Gordon W.


Durkin, William J., Jr.


Gray, Raymond E.


Duston, Dr. Charles H.


Greenough, Charles F.


Edney, James P.


Guneelman, Richard A.


Espie, James E., Jr.


Hampson, Kenneth A.


Farley, Charles J., Jr. Feely, John F.


Hayes, Arthur J.


Feely, William G.


Hayes, Ralph B.


Feltus, Carroll M.


Haynes, Albert L.


Feltus, Donald O.


Feltus, Robert J.


Hartwell, David W.


Hayward, Russell D. Herrick, Ralph W.


436


Curtis, Norman A. Cushing, Preston L. Davis, Henry A., Jr. Davis, Milton E. Davis, Ralph J.


Herrick, Richard T.


Hickey, Carmin H.


Hickey, Sandford N. Higgins, Edward J. Jr.


Leveroni, Mary L.


Liebfried, George F.


Holland, Neville R. Holland, William D.


Liebfried, Lawrence L.


Hollowell, Calvin H.


Linscott, Roy H., Jr.


Hollowell, Frederick E.


Lizotte, Eileen M.


Hollowell, Harry M.


Locke, Milton R.


Horan, James M., Jr.


Lockwood, Ralph H.


Horton, Barbara A.


Loring, Donald L.


Horton, Ruth A.


Lovejoy, Howard W.


Horton, Wiliam R.


MacDougall, Donald W.


Houghton, Robert H.


MacDougall, Edward G.


House, Anita V.


MacDougall, Roderick D.


Howard, Donald R.


MacGregor, Malcom S.


Howard, John C.


MacPhee, Donald L.


Howe, Richard P.


Maglione, James


Howe, Robert J.


Maguire, David T.


Howell, Richard G.


Maguire, John W.


Hurley, Arthur L.


Mahaney, Mildred E.


Hurley, Edward N.


Mahoney, Adele J.


*Jenks, David L.


Major, Robert R.


Jenney, Maurice P.


Manion, Charles E.


Jensen, Allen


Manter, Charles D.


Jensen, Albert


Marble, Betty L.


Johnson, Donald E.


Marble, Ralph P. Jr.


Johnson, Patricia A.


Marini, Dominic A.


Johnson, Stanwood


Marshall, William L.


Johnston, Francis W.


Mason, Robert E.


Jules, Laurie E.


Mauro, Ralph R.


Kansanniva, Kalervo


Mauro, Robert L.


Kelley, John A.


Mekkelsen, Helen B.


Kennedy, Thomas F. S., Jr.


Mekkelsen, James R.


Kienow, Kenneth K.


Mekkelsen, John O.


King, Hobart T.


Merriam, Burton A.


Kleinfelder, Harry C., Jr.


Merriam, Herbert W., Jr.


Knight, Harold J.


Merriam, James A.


Knippel, Ernst A.


Miney, Otto H.


Kreuger, Edgar


Mitchell, Donald F.


Lacourse, Louis J.


Mitchell, Thomas S.


LaDuke, George C., Jr.


Mitchell, William T.


Laffin, Harold M.


Morison, Alexander, Jr.


Landry, Ausan A.


Morison, Archibald


437


1


Lathrop, Betsey S. Lawton, Robert A.


LeBoeuf, Conrad E.


Morong, Dorothy J.


Peterson, Robert A.


Morris, Robert J.


Peterson, Robert N.


Peterson, Stephen G.


Peterson, Warren R.


Pinolehto, Alice E.


*McAllaster, Robert W. McAvenia, James F., Jr. McAvenia, Raymond McCabe, Richard S.


Prentiss, Brian A.


Prentiss, Harold W., Jr.


Prentiss, Wentworth


McDonald, Robert J.


Priest, Kenneth D.


McGuigan, John W.


Quimby, Clayton F. Quin, Thomas J. Jr.


McGuire, Edward L. Mclaughlin, John E.


Rahberg, Francis J.


McNiff, Edmund J.


Rahberg, Francis J., Jr.


McPhee, Carroll E.


Raymond, George J.


Neagle, George E.


Rawitser, William R.


Nelson, Allen H.


Regan, John J.


Newsham, Richard R.


Reid, Robert A., 3rd


Newsham, Robert E.


Reynolds, Albert


*Nichols, John M.


Reynolds, Donald E.


Nichols, Orla E., Jr.


Reynolds, Raymond A.


Nichols, Robert S.


Nickerson, David A.


Rhodes, Richard A.


Nickerson, Harold E.


Rhodes, Robert S.


Nordberg, Harold F.


Rice, Benjamin F.


Nugent, Bernard A.


Rich, Howard E.


Oelschlegel, Fritz F.


Richardson, Paul I


Olsen, William P.


Rifford, George A., Jr.


O'Niel, James E.


Rimbach, David H.


O'Toole, David L.


Rimbach, Phillip N.


Parkhurst, Esther M.


Ring, Willard P.


Parsons, Donald A.


Roberts, Nathan A., Jr.


Roche, Beavan


Paskiewicz, Joseph


Roche, Dorothy C.


Pederson, George


Roche, Francis D.


Pederson, Ingvald


Roche, Leo T.


Pellett, Harold L., Jr.


Roche, Norman L.


Pendergast, Edward L., Jr. Penney, George T.


Ryan, George E. Saine, Paul W.


Peppard, Murray B.


Schmitz, Herbert E.


Perkins, LaForest W.


Schnair, Havelock J.


Peterson, Edgar H.


Schofield, Catharine A.


Peterson, Richard H.


Schofield, Clifford A.


Paskiewicz, Anthony


Reynolds, Robert W.


438


Morse, George A. Morse, Harry B. Murphy, Jerry E. Murray, Robert L.


Piper, Alvin R. Piper, William R.


Schofield, Robert S. Schofield, Roger J.


Scribner, David W.


Scribner, Harry V. Jr. Scribner, Marilyn J.


Seaton, Hugh


Thane, George V. Thatcher, Cedric L.


Shaw, Gordon E.


Thatcher, Leo F.


Shaw, Harold H.


Thatcher, Faith M.


Shaw, Richard F.


Thatcher, John J., Jr.


Sheehan, Daniel W., III


Simeone, Maurice M.


Sisson, Richard G.


*Thatcher, Robert E. H. Thomas, Roy T. Thompson, Clayton Tolman, Wilbur J.


Smart, Anzel


Smart, Harry C.


Torkelsen, Walter H.


Smith, Gordon A.


*Townsend, Robert L. Troupe, James E. Tuttle, David T.


Smith, Richard R.


Tuttle, Horace C.


Smith, Ronald V.


Tuttle, William D., Jr.


Snyer, Harry


Tucker, John L.


Snyer, Harry, Jr.


Vitkauskis, Anthony S., Jr.


Spencer, Donald A.


Walther, Francis A.


Spinney, Carroll E.


Walther, Joseph L.


Spinney, Donald A.


Walther, Leonard J.


Spinney, Ralph E.


Wamboldt, Hubert O.


*Sprague, Herbert E.


Ward, Jesse H., 3rd


Sprague, Ormond L.


Wayne, Burton H.


Sprague, Paul F.


Weatherby, Edward F.


Staples, Howard R.


Webb, Kenneth L.


Stevens, John N., Jr.


Wetherbee, John E.


Stevens, Walter A. Stinson, John O.


Whitcomb, Peter R.


Stoney, Dorothy E.


Whittier, John McK.


Stuart, Alton P.


Willett, Charles F.


Stuart, Raymond L.


Willett, Donald K.


Stuart, William H.


Willett, Robert H.


Wilson, James H.


Sweeney, Daniel J. Sweeney, James W.


Wood, Ruth O.


Sweeney, Paul J.


Yarnell, John P.


Sweeney, Robert E.


Yarnell, Lawrence A.


Sweeney, Joseph M.


Young, Warren I.


Sweet, Charles R.


Tabbi, Salvatore G., Jr. Taylor, Charles P. *Taylor, Robert B. Teale, Janice


-


439


Wetherbee, Thomas E.


Smith, Ralph I.


Smith, Peter P.


APPENDIX XXIII POPULATION OF ACTON BEGINNING WITH THE PROVINCIAL CENSUS OF 1765


1765 (Prov.)


611


1776 (Prov.)


769


1790 (U. S.)


853


1800 (U. S.)


90


1810 (U.S.)


885


1820 (U. S.)


1047


1830 (U. S.)


1128


1840 (U. S.)


1121


1850 (U. S.)


1605


1855 (State)


1678


1860 (U. S.)


1726


1865 (State)


1660


1870 (U. S.)


1593


1875 (State)


1708


1880 (U. S.)


1797


1885 (State)


1785


1890 (U. S.)


1897


1895 (State)


1978


1900 (U. S.)


2120


1905 (State)


2089


1910 (U. S.)


2136


1915 (State)


2151


1920 (U. S.)


2162


1925 (State)


2387


1930 (U. S.)


2482


1935 (State)


2635


1940(U. S.)


2701


1945 (State)


2869


1950(U. S.)


3510


440


W


VI


P


FI 1


N


1


1


1


M


T


K


Nogog


Q


1


1


J


1


5


1


H


E


1


D


1


1


1


1


G


1


C


1


A


Map to accompany appendix XXIV


1


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APPENDIX XXIV


AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONFLICTING DATA CONCERNING THE SOUTHERLY AND WESTERLY BOUNDARIES OF CONCORD VILLAGE


Within the last few months previous to the publication of this vol- ume, and after a careful study of the photostatic material supplied by the Massachusetts archives, the author conceived of a possible explanation of the contradictory material bearing on the dilemma. In preparing this discussion he sought and obtained the very cordial assistance of Mr. Vincent D. McManus, former mayor of Williamsburg and surveyor of long and successful experience, eleven years of which was with the United States Geological Survey.


The heavy lined polygon AGHJKLMPSR outlines Acton of today. The dotted line NQ is the prolongation of the northeastern boundary of Concord as originally laid out. The point Q is the so-called Berry Corner and was the northwest corner of the square originally laid out to Concord in 1635. The point A was the starting point of the Con- cord survey and the line AQ is the distance locally designated as the Concord old bound.


An ordinary reading of the records leads to the conclusion that Concord was granted five thousand acres on May 29, 1655 and an additional five thousand acres on May 23, 1665, two thousand acres of which were reserved. Hence it would appear that the total area of Concord Village was eight thousand acres.


In reporting their survey Beers and Noyes assert that they started at the angle of the Concord bounds (point A on the map) and measured along an extension of the Concord line a distance of two miles two hundred and eighty rods. This would bring them to point C, which, they claim, was located on a bare hill.


Here they turned a right angle and went two and a half miles and fifty rods, thereby arriving at point D, which, they assert, was the corner of Nashoba Plantation.


They then ran along the line of the plantation, DE on the map, turned a right angle at E and again ran along the boundary of Nash- oba, and presumably met at point F the line of Chelmsford (MLW on the map).


On the basis of this assumption Shattuck's claim that part of Nash- oba lay in Acton is logical, but to take this position requires that one be prepared to reconcile the following contradictions.


1. The modern geological map of Acton accords the town an area just in excess of thirteen thousand acres and it is an established fact


441


that the boundaries on the northwesterly side (lines GHJKLMP) have been unaltered since the time of the incorporation.


2. In 1730 Stephen Hosmer surveyed Concord Village and obtained an area of twelve thousand nine hundred and sixty five acres. As will be established presently Littleton had already absorbed Nashoba and hence it is well nigh certain, in the light of the area of modern Acton, that Hosmer must have surveyed an area very closely approximating the polygon AGHJKLMNQ.


3. The corner E when laid off on a modern map falls one hundred and thirty rods northwesterly from the residence of Mr. John Whittier on Main St., in other words one mile and twenty rods from the nearest point on the town boundary (distance EJ on the map). This would seem to place the Nashoba corner well within the confines of Acton but it flatly contradicts item 2 above and likewise the following facts.


4. The citation concerning the perambulation of the bounds between Nashoba and the Powers land states specifically that the starting corner was at the westerly end of "nagog pond" and was carried toward Tadmuck (now Westford). This implies that the point E should fall at J. If J does not appear to be at the west end of Nagog it must be borne in mind that this was written in 1707 and that the present dam was built about 1850 thereby changing the shape of the water area appreciably.


5. Furthermore (Province Laws, Resolves, etc., 1725-26, Chap. 264) relative to a petition of certain persons seeking annexation to Littleton, there appears an important statement. Much of the material is not germain but the following bears on the problem:


. . . having heard the Pleas and Allegations of the Petitioners Viewed their Situations and considered the objections of the Inhabi- tants of the West part of Chelmsford, are Humbly of the Opinion, That all that part of Concord known by the name of Power's Farm (alias Nashoba) together with all such Petitioners of Chelmsford West Precinct as do inhabit the Lands lying on the Westerly side of a line . ... be annexed to the town of Littleton . "


The above states categorically that Nashoba was absorbed by Little- ton in 1725 in toto. If so why is not the present boundary between Littleton and Acton along the line DE rather than along HJ?


6. Next we have the very positive assertion of Mr. H. J. Harwood of Littleton, a man known for his meticulous bent in things historical, that no part of Nashoba lay within the boundaries of Acton as now delineated.


Just in passing it may be noted that there is a contradiction be- tween items 4 and 5 above. It does not bear on the point at issue but shows the difficulties that beset the researcher. The conflict lies in the fact that in 4 there is the statement that in 1707 a line of demarca-


442


tion existed between Nashoba and the Powers Farm, at least in the minds of the men walking the bounds whereas in 5 the parenthetical note "alias Nashoba" indicates that in 1725 the two were considered identical.


7. Seventh, and lastly, it must be explained how, if five thousand acres was somehow acquired without trace or record of the trans- action, the highly improbable circumstance should transpire that the westerly boundaries of this new area (acquired sometime between 1665 and 1730 and having no connection presumably with the Beers and Noyes survey) should have westerly boundaries that match almost perfectly as to length and direction the lines laid down by Noyes and Beers in 1666. In other words we are to believe that it is sheer luck that the lines GHJV match the lines CDEF. This is to believe in a mon- strous miracle of probability and has the added drawback that thereby Beers and Noyes contradict themselves and have the western bound- aries passing across Nashoba rather than bounding it.


Now for the alternative approach to the dilemma. The author offers it not as a complete solution but as a plausable alternative. He cannot prove it by much documented data in addition to what has already been offered but the assumptions used are less formidable than to attempt to reconcile the seven statements posed above. He was led to study the problem in detail by the following considerations:


(a) When the first five thousand acres were laid off it seems probable and natural that the easiest method would be adopted, namely, to move the side AQ of the old Concord square parallel to itself a distance sufficient to provide the requisite area.


(b) The highly suggestive coincidence in (7) above.


(c) The fact that after making allowance for the difference in the magnetic and the true north in Massachusetts as of the dates involved, the directions given by Beers and Noyes agree surprisingly with the lines of the modern government maps.


(d) Beers and Noyes assert that at point C they turned a right angle on a bare hill.


A casual glance at the geological survey map makes it clear that point C does not lie on a hill but is located in Stow Swamp about mid- way between Willow Street and Stow Street. There is a respectable hill a quarter of a mile due south but in view of statement (c) above Beers and Noyes could not have landed on it and maintained the com- pass reading they give.


Let it be assumed for the sake of argument that instead of being at point C they were really at point G on Flagg Hill. If we lay off backward from G a distance equal to AC we arrive at B. If then we draw a line from B parallel to AQ we get a rectangle BTQA which is 34023 feet long and 5653 feet wide and containing 4315 acres. This


443


is quite acceptable in view of the likelihood that Beers and Noyes obtained the distance by laying the chain along the ground and hence would get a generous footage as compared with the geological survey.


In the Beers and Noyes report the language is somewhat obscure but nowhere does it state that the survey of 1666 included that of 1655. They do state that they began at the old Concord bound but since neither one lived in Concord they might have assumed that the five thousand acres granted in 1655 belonged to Concord and hence considered B the old bound rather than A.


However clear the language appears any researcher knows that what the record states and what happened are not necessarily the same. One surveyor of long experience upon reviewing the manuscript at the request of the author immediately made a suggestion that would appear heretical to the layman, namely, that somewhere an error of ninety chains was made, either in actuality or in recording. This would come very close to accounting for the mile and a tenth discrepancy. If we accept this or the alternative of starting at point B the seven conflicting statements listed above are reconciled.


The writer makes no claim that his thesis is a solution. It is merely a possible explanation. If the reader rejects it as far fetched he may entertain himself by finding a better. If he takes Beers and Noyes to be infallible and correctly quoted then he must accept the conclusion that all subsequent surveyors were hopelessly wrong and that Acton, by some necromancy now obscure, secured five thousand acres without let or hindrance, and without record thereof, in an era when all the neighboring towns were avid for additional territory.


444


INDEX TO TOPICS


Acadians, 53 Acetelyn gas, 364 Acton Agricultural Association, 318 Acton bi-centennial, 341 Acton Burnell (England), 26 Acton Cadet Band, 210, 291, 300


Acton Centre Women's Club, 315, 353 Acton (England), 25, 360 Acton Enterprise Steam Job Printing Co., 218


Acton Fair, 317, 318 Acton Light Infantry, 125


Acton Militia Company, 167 Actonian, 258


Acton Patriot, 118, 217, 218, 223 Acton Pipe Co., 203 Acton Round (England) 26 Acton Scott (England) 26 Acton, area of, 2 act of incorporation, 23, 300, choice of name, 25, family names at time of incorpora- tion, 28, first town warrant, 32,


April 19th, 1775, casualties, 84 Arithmetic in early schools, 58 Arkansas, 176


Arlington Heights, Va., 420


Arlington (Menotomy) 70, 215, 360 Armory, 176, 192


Army supplies, 86, 96


Articles of Confederation, 92


Ashburnham, 137


Ashby, 137 Asibath River (see Assabet)


Assabet Brook, 212


Assabet River, 2, 20, 77, 140


Assabet Manufacturing Co., 212


Assabet Sand and Gravel Co., 314


Assabet Village, 181


Athol, 137, 175


Atomic bombing, 363


Auctioneers, 296


Australia, 200


Automobiles, first in town, 285


Aviary, 156, 298


Ayer, 148, 204, 395


Ayer bank, 145


Ball park, 355


Baltimore Convention, 179


Baltimore & Ohio R.R., 186


Baltimore riots of 1861, 184


Adelphi quartette, 245,


Adhesives, 364


Adjutant General, 180, 188


Aid to Boston, 95


Aid to soldier families, 94


Aintab (Turkey) 309


Air Production Sales Co., 364


Aix La Chapelle Treaty of, 52 Alabama, 145


Alarm stone, 71, 265


Albany, 185


Barrett's mills, 75


Barrington, R.I., 390, 396


Baseball, 225, 299, 326, 355


Basketball, 336, 357


Bass viol, 106 Bastardy, 49


Bath, N.H., 409


Bayonets, 72, 160


Beaver, 3


Beaver Brook, 15


Bedford, 78, 300, 387


Belfast, Ireland, 310


Bell, Ist meeting house, 25; 2nd meet- ing house 127


Bellows Farm, 36, 156, 317


Bellows manufacturing, 156


Bells, ringing of, 120, 127, 198, 220, 298; tolling of 139, 154, 198


Belmont, 145 Benefits for soldier families, 188, 190


Benjamin Smith place, 212 Bennington, battle of, 247 Berkshire Medical Institute, 388


Berlin, Mass., 246


Bermuda Hundred, Va., 418


Berry Corner, 7, 20, 25, 49, 50 Berwick City, La., 423


Band Concerts, 291


Bandstands, 291


Baptismal font, 249


Baptist Church, 155, 200, 412


Barnburners, 157


Barnstable (Devonshire, England) 334


Barrel factory, 315


Barrels, 52


Barre, Mass., 140


Aldie, Va., 422


Alewives, 3


Alexandria, Va., 291


American Casualties (April 19th, 1775) 84


American Cyanamid Co., 140


American House, 288, 304


American Legion medal of honor, 340


American Library Association, 359


American Lyceum, 136


American Powder Mills, 2, 140, 145


American Thermos Bottle Co., 306 American Woolen Co., 212, 312 Ammunition, 188 Ancient and Honorable Artillery, 159 A. & O. W. Mead & Co., 145 Andover, 106 Andover Theological Seminary, 138 Annual town audit, 356 Anti-import vote, 56 Anti-Fly Company (Littlefield), 253 Antrim, N.H., 153 Appendices, 367-444 Apiary, 193 Apples, 218, 320 Apprentices, 111


445


organizational town meeting, 31, statistics for 1821, 136


Betsey Morse Ball Fund, 363 Biennial state elections, 355 Bicycle shop, 301 Billerica, 6, 7, 10, 24, 49, 51, 82 Bills of new emission, 98 Blackboards, 58


Blanchard auditorium, 353, 362 Blanchard Foundation, 361


Blanchard Hall, High School, 329 Blanchard memorial stone, 175, 266, 308


Blanchard school, Boxborough, 361 Blankets, 86, 96


Blind, school for, Turkey, 310 Blizzards, 226


Blood (Willard) farms, 7, 22, 23, 25, 51, 104 Bluine, 200


Board of commerce, 145


Board of Public Welfare, 340


Board of Health, 289, 327, 390


Bolton, 115, 137, 320, 351, 388, 408


Boscowen, N.H., 388


Boston, 1, 55, 59, 60, 62, 65, 95, 108, 128, 150, 185, 224, 325


Boston Brass Band, 159, 167


Boston, Acton & Nashua R.R., 213


Boston, Clinton & Fitchburg R.R., 215


Boston College of Physicians and Surgeons, 389


Boston & Maine R.R., 215


Boston Massacre, 57


Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 324


Boston Public Garden, 325


Boston Railroad Jubilee, 150


Boston Tea Party, 62,


Boston University, 391, 392


Boston Weekly Journal, 220


Bouganville, 358


Bounty, 89, 91, 92, 187, 190, 191, 197, 227




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