USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Berlin > History of the town of Berlin, Worcester county, Mass., from 1784 to 1895 > Part 2
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
I3
TOWN OF BERLIN.
settled in our town. This war closed 1697 and was soon followed by another, known as
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR-1704.
In the summer of 1704 a large force of French and Indians under Monsieur Boocore attacked Northampton, but as the place was well fortified, they gave up the contest. A part returned to Can- ada. About 400 turned eastward and made an onslaught on Lancaster. In this attack, which began early in the morning of July 31, the enemy was repulsed with considerable loss. Reinforce- ments having arrived from Marlboro during the day, ' the town was saved from other loss than the burn- ing of a number of dwellings and the meeting-house. One Lancaster man and three soldiers were killed in the affray. The next visit of the Indians with hos- tile intent was Oct. 15, 1705, when Thomas Sawyer, Jr .. his son Elias and John Bigelow of Marlboro were in Thomas Sawyer, Jr.'s, saw-mill near the Deer's horn and were taken captive and carried away to Canada. (For further particulars, see arti- cle, "Thomas Sawyer," in the genealogical part of this work.) With this brief epitome of tragic events, we close this recital of assaults and brutali- ties inflicted on the early settlers of Lancaster. The peace of Utrecht, 1713, brought the war to a close, and the people in their homes were undisturbed by the French and Indians to any very great extent afterwards; but in subsequent wars with tribes north and east, some of our men were participants, and among these was Jabez Fairbanks, the famous Indian scout, whose particular service is more fully
I4
HISTORY OF THE
shown in Marvin's " History" and Nourse's " Annals," and brief mention may be found in this work under the head of Fairbanks families.
Having briefly sketched the principal historical events which occurred while our territory was a part of the mother town and in which the ancestors of some of the first settlers of our town took an active part, we propose now to take a glance backward and see what progress had been made in the settlement of this township at the time we were disannexed from Lancaster and became a part of Bolton. At this time Lancaster had been incorporated eighty- five years and had passed through a series of tragic events incident to Indian warfare, which have be- come matters of general history, and with the recital of these in the foregoing pages and the addition of the names of the brief number of those who were settlers here prior to 1738, the time of the excision from the old town of Lancaster, we close the account, leaving all other matters, civil and religious, pertain- ing to any of our citizens when they were of the mother town, to the records of the same made in the "History" and " Annals" of the old township. It may appear at first sight singular that so long a period should have elapsed with so few settlements, but it must be remembered that land was plenty and men were few, and that Indian wars were of frequent oc- currence during the entire period.
In that part of the town originally a part of Lancas- ter, we find only the following names of settlers here prior to 1738, and only two or three here before 1723, and these were John Houghton, 3d, on the Ephraim Goddard farm, and Jabez Fairbanks, Jr., on the old
.
15
TOWN OF BERLIN.
Fairbanks place at the corner, and John Moore on the John M. Kelley place." The others on the list were: James Butler (on the John Collins place), Samuel Moore (on the Stone house farm), Hezekiah Gibbs (on F. A. Woodward's), Francis McFadin (on P. A. Randall's), Ephraim Fairbanks (on corner by J. D. Southwick's), Isaac Moore, Sr., (on Wm. W. Wheeler's). Wilson Pratt, father of Abijah, (on Daniel Wheeler place), Andrew McElwain (on the Samuel Spofford farm, Philip Larkin (in Larkindale), Philip Brookins (on Jarvis Wheeler's), Daniel Bruce (on Ira Brown place, James Fife (on Jonas Carter's), Robert Fosgate (on the Gates farms), Joseph Priest (on the Rufus R. Wheeler old place).
The exact time they moved on these places cannot be accurately determined at this time. The deeds are chiefly our guides in this matter.
Now we must part with Old Lancaster and become an integral part of Bolton. The first move made for the separation was a petition from persons living in the east part of Lancaster, presented to the town at a meeting held May 16, 1733. The prayer of the petitioners was as follows: "Setting forth the many hardships and difficulties which we for these many years have undergone in getting to the public wor- ship of God, and in a peculiar manner in the winter season, these are, therefore, to request of you that you put it into your next warrant to see whether the town will set off all the inhabitants on the east side the river to be a separate town or precinct, begin- ning at Shrewsbury line and so down said river till
* It is quite uncertain whether Jabez Fairbanks or John Moore lived on these places at that time .- Com.
I6
HISTORY OF THE
you come to Harvard line, excepting the interval lots of land on the east side of said river." Signed by Josiah Whecler, William Pollard, Joshua Moore, Jabez Fairbanks, Jona. Moore, William Keyes, John Whitney, Jeremiah Holman, Nathaniel Holman, Thos. Whitney and William Sawyer. The prayer of the petitioners in this case was not granted at this time, but a second petition for the same object, signed by John Moore and others, presented to the town March, 1735-6, prevailed, and Bolton went before the Gen- eral Court with the benediction of the old mother town. The act of incorporation. was passed on the 24th of June, 1738. The church was formed in Bol- ton Nov. 4, 1741, when the. Rev. Thomas Goss was ordained their first pastor. It will be noted that none of the names on the first petition, except possibly Jabez Fairbanks, were of Berlin territory.
In passing from one environment to that of another, it may be well to pause and view the situation. It will be seen that not much progress had been made in the settlement of this territory while a part of Lan- caster, and these werc mostly in the north part, and hence nearer church and town house. It may be safe- ly assumed that the entire population at this time would not much exceed fifty, including women and children, as most of the settlers were young men just starting in life, with no families other than wife and "one or two children. After this date (1738) settle- ments herein progressed very rapidly, and all the available land was taken up and occupied while this territory was a part of Bolton. No serious apprehen- sions were entertained at this time of future Indian raids or massacres by tribes of the old Bay State, but
I 7
TOWN OF BERLIN.
the more distant ones near the Canadian border made frequent forays into the more exposed settlements for some years later, or till the close of the old French.and Indian war. Settlements, too, had ex- tended in every direction, so that this was no longer a frontier town, needing block houses and garrisons to protect the people. It will be seen that many of the descendants of the first settlers while of Lancas- ter have disappeared. Only the Fosgates and Lar- kins hold the ancestral lands.
The first settlements made in Berlin were evidently on that part taken from Marlboro, which comprised at the time of annexation, 1784, three farms, now four, namely, the Nathaniel Wheeler and the Aaron Morse farms, both of which constituted at that time the homestead of Silas Kerley; the farm of Elisha Bassett was David Taylor's and Job Spofford's, and the Newsome place was John Brigham's,-but these were not the first settlers on these lands. Silas Kerley was preceded by Job, Sr., and Henry Kerley, Jr .: Taylor and Spofford by Samuel Jones, Sr., and Solomon Keyes, and possibly others; John Brigham by Joel Brigham and Joseph Rice. This Joseph Rice married Mercey Kerley, daughter of Henry, Jr., and was probably the first settler on the place about 1710. This valley of the Assabet, presenting as it undoubtedly did an inviting field for the pio- neer, was the first taken up. Comparatively few settlements had been made on the Lancaster ter- ritory prior to 1738, the time Bolton, including main- ly this township, was disannexed from the old mother town. We count but two or three places where settle- ments may have been made previous to 1723, when
4
3
18
HISTORY OF THE
Benjamin Bailey, Sr., was tax collector for Lancas- ter of all then living south [of the old Bay road through Bolton. Of these we may name in the south part the Ephraim Goddard farm, first settled by John Houghton, 3d. He sold to Benj. Bailey, Sr., 1718. On Bailey's tax list appear the names of Jabez Fair- banks (?), who was the father of our Esquire Ephraim and lived on the Fairbanks place, and possibly one John Moore was on the John M. Kelley place at this date, but there is no positive proof of the fact .*
As no recorded evidence at hand indicates that these latter named places were settled before John Houghton, 3d, settled on the Ephraim Goddard farm, the conclusion is that aside from the strip taken from Marlboro, the Goddard farm and the Fairbanks place were the first settled. The dates of the settlement of most of the families will be found in the genea- logical part of this work under the respective family names.
ABOUT INDIANS.
No tribe of Indians that we know of ever had their headquarters here. No records extant nor Indian relics point to the fact of any permanent lodgment within what is now Berlin territory. That Gates pond or "Kequasagansett" lake, as it may have been called, may have been a favorite resort for fishing, is quite probable. The few Indian relics found in the vicinity of the pond indicate only temporary sojourn. Clamshell pond, just beyond our limits in Clinton, abound in these antiquities more abundantly. The Larkin brothers in the immediate vicinity have a
* John Moore owned the land, but may not have lived there.
-
19
TOWN OF BERLIN.
large collection of Indian weapons and tools gathered from the shores of this pond. Clamshell, as also Gates pond, was nearly in a direct line between the Ockoocangansetts at Marlboro and the Nashaways at Washacum, hence the trail leading from one place to the other would necessarily pass through this town and by these ponds. Any thrilling experiences of those who settled on our territory with the Massa- chusetts Indians must antedate the time we were dis- annexed from the old town of Lancaster, but some minor things of slight importance have been handed down by tradition, showing that Indians have been here,-one of which that Indians took up their abode occasionally for the night in the cavity of a certain rock, since called "Sleeping rock," situated by the wayside on the Hudson road between the house of Capt. Silas Sawyer and that of George Bruce. Another tradition is Dea. Josiah Sawyer's famous leap and escape from an Indian in ambush, illustra- tions of which will hereinafter be inserted.
Adieu, old town, with all thy glory, With all thy contentions and strife; We've told but a bit of thy story, Of thy early municipal life.
For years to come, our life must run, With Sawyers, Moores and Houghton; And before our real life's begun, We must be a part of Bolton.
20
HISTORY OF THE
CHAPTER II.
HISTORY WHILE OF BOLTON, 1738, 1784-THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
The second period of the history and development of this territory began in 1738 and continued until 1784, during which time we were an integral part of Bolton, hence in the narration of events of this period we propose only to relate such occurrences as had special relation to those living here at the time, leav. ing the annals of Bolton to be told by the future his- torian of that town.
Nearly the first action taken by any town after its settlement and incorporation is the matter pertaining to roads and schools, but these had been attended to in a measure by the mother town before we had or- ganic life, and will be treated on more particularly under the head of those topics.
The two more important events in which quite a number of the citizens on this territory participated were the French and Indian war and the War of the Revolution. The former of these will be first con- sidered. This war commenced in 1755 and was a re- newal of the contest for supremacy in North America between the French and English colonists. The English settlements at this time were confined to states bordering on the Atlantic, extending as far south as Virginia and the Carolinas, while the French
21
TOWN OF BERLIN.
had settlements and a line of forts extending from the mouth of the St. Lawrence by the Great Lakes and the Mississippi to New Orleans. These fortifi- cations were made expressly for the purpose of pre- venting the further extension of the English settle- ments into the interior of the continent. Had the French been successful in this contest, it may reason- ably be supposed that this country would have been in a much worse condition than Canada is in to-day, on account of its colonial condition and lack of en- terprise, but thanks to the heroic men of that gener- ation, impelled by the highest impulses of patriotism and unwavering devotion to their country's future welfare, they compelled the French to abandon their claim to a large portion of North America over which they claimed jurisdiction, on the ground of discovery and prior right. Some of our men were in the ex- peditions against Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and some were also in the attack on Quebec in 1759, when the army of General Wolfe vanquished the army of General Montcalm on the plains of Abra- ham, which battle was decisive, and by the treaty of 1763 all the French possessions in North America were given up to the English. It is but a just tribute to the memory of the brave men that a record should be made of their heroic deeds, which were initiatory steps that led finally to the Revolution and the independence and union of these states. Among the Bolton soldiers in the French and Indian war who lived on Berlin territory, we find the names of Nathaniel Hastings, Nathaniel Hastings, Jr., Benja- min Houghton, Joseph Priest, John Pollard, Wil- liam Pollard, Jabez Beers, John McBride, Peter Lar-
22
HISTORY OF THE
kin, Edmund Larkin, William Larkin, Mathias Lar- kin, Abraham Bruce, Robert Fosgate and Joshua Johnson. The close of this war caused universal re- joicings in the English colonies; shoutings, bon- fires, songs and prayers ascended to heaven every- where. It was the death struggle between Protes- tantism and popery in America as to territorial pos- sessions.
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
As our territory was an integral part of Bolton up to the close of the Revolutionary war, we are neces-
sarily precluded from relating ony official acts of the town of Berlin before it had municipal life, but we may, and justice demands it, that we put on record the individual acts of the fathers in the struggle for independence. It is not our purpose to go into special details of this war or outline the more important
23
TOWN OF BERLIN.
events connected therewith, known to all our citizens, but it is our intention and purpose to record, at least, the names of all that lived on this territory, whose patriotic and personal services contributed to the es- tablishment of liberty and independence; also some resolutions of general interest prior to the war passed by Bolton, which clearly reflect the doings of the fathers relative to the causes of the war. The events which preceded the breaking out of hostilities were such as to cause every patriot, and especially every minute man, to be in readiness at a moment's warn- ing. Tradition has it "that Land'ord Jones," whose inn was in Berlin Centre, had a gun prepared to give warning of any approaching crisis demanding imme- diate attention. On the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, a courier arrived at Jones' Inn with the news that the British troops were marching towards Concord. Soon boom went Jones' gun; the sound caught the ears of William Babcock, who lived on the place now owned by Joseph Turner. Leaving his tools in the field, he, with gun and knapsack, has- tened to the scene of sanguinary strife, to Concord and Lexington. Judge Samuel Baker, Silas Carley, and Joseph Rice of Marlboro territory, Samuel Spofford, Sr., of Berlin and probably some others were soon on the road to the same destination.
Certain acts recorded in the Bolton records prior to the war, indicative of the spirit of the times and showing the intense zeal and patriotism of the peo- ple of the town, in which citizens on our territory took a conspicuous part, are well worthy of mention. The first matter was a protest against the use of tea and other British goods. A committee appointed at
24
HISTORY OF THE
a previous meeting reported the subject matter for action at a town meeting held May 21, 1770. The records stand as follows: "Taking into serious con-
MINUTE MAN.
sideration the present unhappy situation of our pub- lic affairs at this critical juncture of the times," passed the following votes, viz. :
"That we highly approve of the conduct of the merchants of the town of Boston respecting the non-importation of British goods, and that we will none of us on any pretence whatsoever purchase one single article (except in cases of absolute necessity) of any merchant or trader that has im- ported goods contrary to the agreement of the merchants of the said town of Boston, and that we shall esteem such pur- chasers as enemies to this country and not fit to be employed in any business of importance, and that we will abstain from the use of all foreign teas ourselves, and that we will not suf- fer it to be used in our families until the whole of the late revenue acts are repealed, and that we will use our utmost en- deavors to promote industry, frugality and our own manufac- tures amongst ourselves, as judging it the most likely means.
25
TOWN OF BERLIN.
to save our country from slavery and to leave a lasting inher- itance to our posterity."
"Voted unanimously."
The Selectmen at this time were: Joshua John- son. Ephraim Fairbank, Silas Bailey, Jonas Hough- ton and Nathaniel Longley. It will be noted that all of these except the last were of Berlin territory.
List of soldiers in the Revolutionary war who were at the time residents of Berlin territory as found in the Bolton records and elsewhere:
The foremost in military service was John Hud- son. the grandfather of Hon. Charles Hudson, who, together with his eight sons, were in the army at one time and another during the war. In continuing the list we find the names of Bruce-Benjamin, Daniel, Timothy: McBride-James. John, Thomas; Bailey- Colonel Silas, Lieutenant Timothy, Benjamin, Bar- nabas: Johnson-Captain Edward, Joshua, Eleazer, Nathan : Larkin-Mathias, John, John, Jr., Ephraim, Edmond, Peter; Baker-Samuel, Samuel, Jr., Ed- ward: Meriam-Amos, Jonathan : Uriah Moore, Ben- jamin Nourse, Nathan Barber, Fortunatus Barnes, Samuel Jones, Jr., Nathan Jones, Jabez Fairbanks, James Fife, Jr., Elijah Foster, Nathaniel Hastings, Silas Howe, Silas Houghton, Hezekiah Gibbs, Jr., Abijah Pratt, John Pollard, Thomas Pollard, Joseph Priest. Job Spofford, David Rice, Samuel Rice, Rob- ert Fosgate.
Lieutenant Timothy Bailey, who lived at the time on the place now owned by Merrick Felton, joined the army in the year 1777 at Newport, R. I., and there died the same year. The monument and statue representing "Hope" in the old cemetery, erected to
26
HISTORY OF THE
his memory by Artemas Barnes, Esq., is a fitting memento of his patriotic service and sacrifice.
The close of the Revolutionary war substantially closed our connection with Bolton. The treaty of peace was signed 1783. We were born into munici- pal life the year after, and for the next twenty- eight years was known as the District of Berlin. We had been associated with Lancaster eighty-five years and with Bolton forty-six years. These periods embraced the early Indian wars, King Philip's and other Indian raids, the French and Indian war and the War of the Revolution. Henceforward Berlin alone must bear the responsibility of all official ac- tion, whether in the War of 1812 or the War of the Rebellion. In the latter the town may well be proud for the valor and patriotism exhibited by her citizens.
TORIES.
Very few Tories were here during the Revolution. Tradition holds that one Jabez Beers, who lived in 1767 on the hill south of Merrick Felton's, was a Tory, as also were the Duffords of the same hill; but as Beers was in the French and Indian war and prob- ably did good service for us in that war, his fault in this should be charitably considered.
There was rapid advancement made in the settle- ment of our territory while we were of Bolton. The population increased four-fold during this period. Nearly all the available land suitable for farms was taken up. We had been set off as the South Parish in 1778, and had a meeting-house before we were in- vested with town rights. The heads of those fami-
2 7
TOWN OF BERLIN.
lies who have made the most enduring record in town and numerically have exceeded all others, came in while we were of Bolton. Prominent among these were the Babcocks, Barneses, Bruces, Carters, Johnsons, Sawyers and Wheelers. Having attained that period of growth and development which gave assurance of increased prosperity by a separate organic life, Ber- lin joyfully bid adieu to the mother town, whose fos- tering care and maternal solicitude were duly appre- ciated and acknowledged, and set up housekeeping for herself by assuming the responsibilities and dis- charging the duties of one of the numerous munici- palities which constitute the Commonwealth of Mas- sachusetts.
28
HISTORY OF THE
CHAPTER III.
BERLIN A DISTRICT, 1784.
The history of Berlin embraces a period of brief duration when compared with the older towns of the Commonwealth. In fact those who saw the dawn of its organic life have but just passed away, and yet the town can claim a respectable antiquity in com- parison with our more flourishing neighbors on our eastern and western borders. The town has been known as the "State of Berlin" by those of its imme- diate vicinity, and the designation is not wholly ir- relevant, inasmuch as the people here have mani- fested during the entire history of its municipal life a stability and an adherence to certain fixed and defi- nite principles worthy of special commendation, and as states are less liable to geographical changes than towns, so Berlin has been less fluctuating and changeable internally and externally than most towns of greater pretensions. The inhabitants have been from first to last very largely of Puritanic stock, and it is quite probable that the descendants of these will continue the dominant class in the immediate future. The casual observer will readily perceive that this is a town remarkably free from class dis- tinctions. Noaristocracy of blood or wealth, no high, no low, all as near on a common level as it is seem- ingly possible for a people to be, making this little
29
TOWN OF BERLIN.
township a model commonwealth, where, if any- where, equality, fraternity and true contentment abide,-elements essential to the perpetuity of a true democracy and a free republic.
While it is true that few descendants of the first settlers still retain the ancestral lands or live in town, it is a gratifying fact that their places have been filled by citizens who are a credit to the community in which they live, and the town may not really have lost in the transitions which have taken place. We note but two farms in the family name which have continued from the time we were a part of Lancaster. the Fosgates and the Larkins ; comparatively few of the descendants remain of those who settled here while we were a part of Bolton, 1738 to 1784. There are still in town some of the posterity of those who were here before we were a district, namely: Wil- liam Babcock, David Southwick, James Brewer, James Goddard. Samuel Jones, Jonathan Wheeler, Barnabas Maynard, Josiah Sawyer, Joel Fosgate, Fortunatus Barnes, Thomas Pollard (the Carter and Samuel Spofford families, also the Larkins, came in soon after). Of these the Wheeler name outnumbers all the others at the present time, with fair prospect of continuance. Many emigrated early and found homes in other states and became prominent citizens in their several localities, and this was a necessity in a town of moderate dimensions without mechanical industries or other appliances for manual labor. The emigration about the year 1800, led by the Jones and Tenneys, to Marlboro, N. H., depleted the town of its surplus of inhabitants to a considerable extent, and quite a number of the descendants of these still
30
HISTORY OF THE
remain in that vicinity. Berlin contributed a fair proportion of settlers to other states, notably to Maine and Vermont. All these removals and changes so far as known will appear in the genealogical part of this work.
THE NAME OF THE TOWN.
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.