USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > History of the town of Douglas, (Massachusetts,) from the earliest period to the close of 1878 > Part 21
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A. E. KEMP, M. D.,
66
1881
W. D. JONES,
66
1881
N. W. PRESTON,
66
66
1881
.
The Committee organized for the year 1878-9 by choice of A. F. BROWN, Chairman. W. D. JONES, Secretary ..
A. F. BROWN, } Superintending Committee.
W. D. JONES,
HIGH SCHOOL.
Previous to 1846 there was no established school in town where the higher branches of learning were taught. The necessity for such a school at last became so apparent that steps were taken to. make the necessary provisions. An association of several promi- nent citizens was formed, and suitable school accommodations pro- vided at East Douglas.
The association was known as the Citizens' Hall Association, and the following is a copy of the original subscription list, which states the purposes of the society and the men who were then prom- inent in educational affairs : -
EAST DOUGLAS, June 30, 1846.
" We, the undersigned, feeling the importance of affording to our youth in this community greater facilities for the attainment of a higher literary education than can be expected from the public or town school, and, on account of the proposed erection of a school-house in District No. 9 in this town, believing the present. a favorable time to make an effort to secure the above-named object, do hereby agree to pay for the purpose of adding another
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EDUCATIONAL - ADDENDA.
story to the school-house about to be erected in District No. 9, in Douglas, in the county of Worcester in Massachusetts, and for other necessary expenditures connected with the same, the sums hereunto affixed to our names, provided the sum of six hundred dollars be subscribed for the aforementioned object or purpose, and provided the same six hundred dollars or stock be divided into- shares of twelve dollars and fifty cents each ; and provided also, when said sum shall have been subscribed, the subscribers are no- tified to meet for the choice of Directors, who shall be authorized to expend said fund for said purpose : -
SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES.
Warren Hunt, $50 00
Moses Knapp,
50 00
Otis W. Hunt,
100 00
Moses Hill,
12 50
Oliver Hunt, . 37 50
Edward F. Stone, 12 50
Samuel W. Heath, 25 00
Fenner Batcheller, 25 00
Anderson Hunt, . 25 00
Leander B. Hunt,
25 00
Lyman Parsons, .
12 50
Albert Butler, . 12 50
Artemus Knowlton, . 12 50
Charles Hutchins,
12 50
Justin B. Whipple, 12 50
SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES.
Adna Taft, . $12 50
Jonathan Sprague, 12 50
Dexter Whipple, 12 50
Horace Emerson, 25 00
Sumner Balcome, 12 50
Luther Stone, 12 50
Joel Utley, 12 50
Mowrey Prentice, 12 50
Chauncey D. Rice, 12 50.
Seth Hunt, 12 50.
Edward F. Stone, 25 00
Simeon and James Smith, 12 50
$600 00
At a proprietors' meeting, Oct. 20, 1846, the Trustees of the so- ciety, Rev. Chauncey D. Rice, Dea. Warren Hunt, and Moses Knapp, Esq., together with Col. Horace Emerson, were chosen a Building Committee, and began the work of building soon after that date.
At a meeting of the proprietors of Citizens' Hall at the hotel of Horace Cummings, April 1, 1847, the Trustees were empowered to procure a teacher and establish a school in the Hall whenever the same should be ready for use.
For several years after the completion of the school-house a High School was thus provided for, and supported by the payment of tu-
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HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
ition by those who had children to send, and the Hall was let for other purposes as occasion offered. The school not being largely attended the expense was necessarily borne by a few. With a view of making the burden lighter for those who had children to send, Dr. Ezekial Wood, not having children of his own, provided schooling for two or three children, and at his death, the year fol- lowing, left a permanent fund for the benefit of the High School, the following being an exact copy of the note and will : -
NOTE.
$500.00
DOUGLAS, Nov. 13th, 1849.
" For value received, I promise and agree shall be paid out of my estate, to the Trustees of the High School in Douglas, or their successors in office, the sum of Five Hundred Dollars, in the fol- lowing manner, by my Executors or Administrators after my de- cease, as follows, to wit : - One Hundred Dollars in one year after the appointment of said Executors or Administrators and One Hundred Dollars per annum for the four successive years next thereafter, to be applied by said Trustees to the advancement of education in said High School; and in case said School shall not be kept the term of one whole year together during the five years in which said payments are to be made, as aforesaid, then, in that case, this note, promise and agreement is to become null and void, and said payments become forfeited and go into my estate, to be administered by my said Executors or Administrators according to law and my will."
(Signed) EZEKIEL WOOD.
ATTEST :
WARREN HUMES.
WILL.
(Only that part is quoted which relates to this bequest.)
DOUGLAS, Nov. 30th, 1849.
" I have given a certain note to the Trustees of East Douglas High School, in said Douglas, provided the Stockholders and Trustees are entitled thereto by complying with the terms and conditions of said note, and not otherwise."
(Signed) EZEKIEL WOOD.
RESIDENCE OF IRA WALLIS, EAST DOUGLAS,
20
306
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
About the year 1874 the proprietors, in connection with the Committee of District No. 9, made extensive repairs on their school building, and a portion of the Dr. Wood fund was used to. help defray the expenses thus incurred. This led to a suit at law, in which the course of the trustees was sustained.
In 1867 a fixed standard was decided upon for pupils entering the High School, and during the three years previous to 1867 this school furnished twelve teachers for Douglas and neighboring towns. Since that time the standard has been gradually raised, and in 1878 the School Committee made several important advances, which are referred to in the following extract from their annual report for 1877, and the plan is now being carried out : -
" Your committee intend, at the commencement of the next school year, to prescribe a course of study for a three years" course, requiring all scholars, as far as practicable, to pursue the full course, with the understanding that those who do so success- fully shall be entitled to and receive a diploma at the close of the third year. By this means we hope to reduce the number of classes without detriment to the scholars, and to give to each scholar who shall pursue the full course a fair practical educa- tion. We also recommend to the town the establishment of a Grammar School - a department between the Intermediate and the High School."
It is hoped that this plan may be successfully carried out, and the attempt is now being gradually made. With the hearty co- operation of the townspeople much can be accomplished, and our schools advanced to that grade where they will be on a par with the majority of similar institutions in the State.
For two years past the school has been in charge of Ralph H. Bowles, Jr., A. M., under whose thorough instruction the progress. has been commendable, and has more than answered the expecta- tions of parents and friends.
In conclusion we desire to make mention of other teachers who. in years past rendered efficient service in this school, and became endeared by ties of friendship to many who were associated with them as pupils.
From 1853 to 1861 the school was taught by W. H. Kingsbury,. Edward F. Williams, Miss Cook and Miss Susan Wingate ; from 1861 to 1864 Charles W. Moore (assisted by his wife during his.
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EDUCATIONAL - ADDENDA.
absence in the army) ; from 1864 to 1868 by Thomas H. Tucker. R. M. Streeter, his successor, remained until the fall of 1869, when he went to Toledo, Ohio, to accept an important position there. Since that time the following teachers have been em- ployed : M. R. Chace, Isaiah F. Pray, George F. Stone, Philip Berry, G. Irving Hopkins, L. N. Cummings, and M. R. Hurd.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE MOSES WALLIS DEVISE.
Y a singularly-drawn will, Moses Wallis, a native of Douglas, bequeathed a certain portion of his es- tate to the town, for the purpose specified minutely in his will, and for " none other whatsoever." If this document is singular in its tenor, as every one must concede, some might deem it nearly as singu- lar that the town should ever have assumed the ob- ligations imposed by accepting the trust. As will be seen, the fund in the custody of the town must remain on in- terest till Nov. 16, 1901, when the accumulated principal and interest forms a new principal, which " shall forever thereafter be kept on interest, the annual interest " of this new principal, when it reaches $12,000, and not till then, to be applied to the building of a town hall, etc.
The present status of this devise, after thirty-seven years' in- vestment, will appear by the last report of the town agent, which is as follows : -
Report of the Agent on the Moses Wallis Devise, to Feb. 1, 1878 :-
1877.
Feb. 1. Value of notes drawing interest, $10,078 97
" 1. Cash in hands of agent, 596 11
6 1. Accrued interest, about . 675 00
$11,350 08
The Agent has received on Devise, for 1877, as follows : -
April 1. Principal on Warren B. Thayer's
note, $200 00
June 8. Principal on Willard Dodge's note, 250 00
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THE MOSES WALLACE DEVISE.
Sept. 10. Principal on Samuel Balcome's note, 100 00
Oct. 25. Abel Parker's note, 200 00
Interest on notes for 1877, 593 28
Cash from 1876,
596 11-$1,939 39
The Agent has loaned and paid on Devise as follows : - 1877.
April 12. Loaned Amos A. Humes, $350 00
March 22. John G. Buffum, 375 00
Sept. 22. " J. Elwin Cummings, 500 00
Nov. 9. Phoebe Young, 300 00
April 5. Paid appraisers, 6 00
5. Trip to Worcester to examine titles, 5 00
5. Discharging two deeds, 50
66
5. Recording one deed, 1 10
66
12. Expense to Worcester, 2 50
66
12. Recording one deed, 1 00
12. Paid appraisers, 4 50
66 28. Discharging one mortgage, 25
Sept. 20. Paid appraisers, 3 00
66 22. Paid James Daniel for cleaning Moses Wallis' monument, . ยท 7 00
Oct. 12. Paid town, county, and State tax, 142 50
Nov. 9.
66 Appraisers 4 50
1878.
Feb. 1. Services for taking care of Devise, for 1877, . 60 00-$1,762 85
1878.
Leaving cash in hands of Agent, .
$176 54
Value of notes drawing interest,
Accrued interest, about
10,853 97 722 70
Increase of Devise for 1877, .
$11,753 21 $403 70 All of which is respectfully submitted.
NELSON POTTER, Agent of said Devise.
.
$10
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
MOSES WALLIS' WILL.
MOSES WALLIS, of Douglas, in the county of Worcester, Common- wealth of Massachusetts, being in a very infirm health, and sensible too of my liableness to sudden death, at the same time being, in my own appre- hension,of a sound mind, do judge it best to make, and accord- ingly do hereby make this my last will and testament, hereby re- voking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.
It is my will that all just debts and charges of my funeral be paid and discharged by my Executor, hereinafter named and ap- pointed, out of that part of my estate hereinafter designated for that purpose, as soon as convenient after my decease.
I give, devise and dispose of all my estate, both real and per- sonal (save what shall be necessary for the payment of my just debts, funeral charges, and to procure a set of good marble grave- stones, of the value of not less than fifty dollars, to be procured by my said Executor, and by him erected at my grave as soon as con- veniently may be after my decease), in the following manner, to- wit : -
I give to my brother, Peter Wallis, two undivided third parts of all of that part of my Lapham wood lot lying in the westerly part of said Douglas, to hold to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
I give and devise unto my brother, Benjamin Wallis, and his son, Waldo Wallis, my saw-mill and privilege, with all my land lying together and adjoining said saw-mill and saw-mill privilege, with all the residue of my said Lapham wood lot (not hereinbefore devised to said Peter Wallis) lying upon the north and south side of said pond, and all situate in the westerly part of said Douglas, to hold to them, said Benjamin and Waldo, and their heirs and as- signs forever, together with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging, and the tools and irons belonging to said saw-mill.
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THE MOSES WALLACE DEVISE.
I give and devise unto my brother, Joseph Wallis, all of my Willard Wallis wood lot, so-called, situate in the westerly part of said Douglas, to hold to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
I give and devise unto my brother, Rufus Wallis, all of that mowing lot lying at the north end of the lane (running northerly from said Rufus' cider-mill yard), as the same is enclosed by the fences surrounding it, to hold to him, his heirs and assigns for- ever:
I give and devise unto my said brother, Joseph Wallis, Peter H. Wallis (son of my brother Peter), Elbridge G. Wallace, and Benjamin Wallis (son of my brother Rufus), all of that part of my real estate lying between the road (leading from the David Walker place in said Douglas to and by the dwelling-house of John Hunt in Sutton, ) and the west line of Ezra Morse's land, and said west line continued in the same direction from the N. W. cor- ner of said Ezra's farm (which he purchased of the inhabitants of Douglas) northerly to Sutton south line ; bounded east by the east line of a part of the same premises which my father purchased of Elisha Hill, north by Sutton south line, west by said road, and south by the road leading from said Walker place to said Morse's, to hold to them, their heirs and assigns forever.
I hereby order and direct my Executor, hereinafter named, to sell and convey all of my wood lot lying upon the west side of, and adjoining the Oxford and Providence turnpike road, formerly so-called, bounded south by land of said Joseph Wallis, west by land of Aaron Wallis, and north by land of Samuel Dudley, together with all my wood lot lying at the northeast corner of my farm, bounded south by said Ezra Morse's said farm he purchased of said inhabitants, west by that tract of land herein before devised to said Joseph, Peter H., Elbridge G., and Benjamin son of said Rufus, north by Sutton south line, and east by land of the Morses ; and I hereby further order and direct my said Executor to sell at Public Auction, and so to dispose of all my movable personal property, including all my hay, grain, farming tools, carts, wagons, neat stock, horse, sheep, swine, household furniture and provisions, etc. Reserving, however, so much of my provisions as shall be necessary to be used in boarding those persons who my said Exe- cutor may appoint to take the charge and care of my said personal
312
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
property, until he may dispose of the same as aforesaid. Except- ing also the following articles of personal property, which I other- wise dispose of, to wit : -
I give to my brother Benjamin my Desk, Chest and small Trunk in said Chest, all my papers and Account Books.
I give to said Waldo Wallis my Bible, Rollin's Ancient History, in two volumes, and MeKenzie's Receipts. I give to Prudence Wallis, wife of my brother Joseph, my History of the United States and Barber's Historical Collections, my feather bed, bol- sters, pillows, bedstead and cord, in my north Chamber, and my Chest of Drawers which were my mother's. I give to said Elbridge G. Wallace my Book of the United States, Napoleon's Campaigns, Manners and Customs in two volumes, Laws of Massachusetts, Yankee Notions and Daboll's Arithmetic, all my wearing apparel, gun and all my military accoutrements.
I give to my four brothers, Peter, Benjamin, Joseph and Rufus and said Elbridge, all of the residue of my Library, to be equally divided between them. I give to my brothers Peter and Benja- min all my wool not manufactured into yarn. I give to my brother Rufus the chest of drawers which were my grandfather's. I give to my brother Peter my smallest Iron Bar, and the next in size I give to my brother Joseph, and the next in size I give to brother Benjamin, and my largest Iron Bar I give to Brother Rufus : with all my undivided personal property which I hold in common with said Rufus, I give to him.
I give also to said Joseph all my Cooper and Carpenter tools.
It is my desire that all the white and yellow pine plank, door studs, with the arms and boards for the doors belonging to my Parker Barn, be kept and not sold, except with the Real Estate, . and it is my desire that my clock shall be sold and go with my dwelling, and that my feather beds, bolsters and pillows be sold by weight, and all my other personal property to be sold, be sold in such a manner as will be most beneficial to all concerned.
I hereby order and direct my said Executor, that out of the proceeds of the sale of my said wood lots hereinbefore directed to be sold, and the proceeds of the sale of my said personal property, together with the amount of all the collections of all my securities, dues and demands owing and due to me at my decease, to pay the following Legacies to the following persons, in one year after my
313
THE MOSES WALLACE DEVISE.
decease, and interest on the same after payable, to wit : (and after paying my just debts and the charges of my funeral) I give to my sister, Lydia McIntire, the sum of one hundred dollars.
I give to my deceased sister Sarah Dudley's five surviving chil- dren as follows :-
To Sarah Dudley, the sum of sixteen dollars and sixty-seven cents. To Samuel Dudley, Jr., the sum of sixteen dollars and sixty-seven cents. To Benjamin Dudley, the sum of sixteen dol- lars and sixty-seven cents. To Azubah Adams, wife of Oliver W. Adams, the sum of twenty-five dollars. To Nelson Dudley, the sum of twenty-five dollars. And in case there shall be any surplus left of said collections and proceeds of the sale of said personal property, after paying said debts, charges, Legacies, and charges of administration or execution of this my said will, I hereby give unto Julia Ann Scism, wife of Henry Scism, the sum of fifty dollars, or the whole amount of said surplus, provided it does not exceed the sum of fifty dollars, and in case there shall still remain any surplus after paying said legacies, debts and charges, including the legacy to said Julia Ann, it is my will that the same shall be equally divided between Waldo Wallis above named, and Elbridge G. Wallace, after deducting the following Legacy, to wit : -
I give to Elbridge G. Wallace the sum of six hundred dollars.
I give and devise unto the Inhabitants of said town of Douglas and their successors all the rest, residue and remainder of my Real Estate, to hold to them, their successors and assigns forever, for the sole exclusive use and purpose of raising a fund to be ap- plied to and for the express uses and purposes hereinafter named, and none other whatsoever, and said Estate to be managed and disposed of, as well as said fund, in the manner I hereby order and direct, as follows, to wit : -
I hereby order and direct the said inhabitants and their succes- sors (provided they accept of this devise to them in six months after the approval of this my said Will by the Probate Court of said County), by their agent or attorney selected for that purpose, by the legal voters of said Town, in Town meeting legally called for that purpose, to enter in and upon all of said Real Estate devised to said inhabitants, and the same to sell at Public Auction or private sale, in lots or otherwise, as said Inhabitants may deter-
314
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
mine would be most for the benefit of said Town, and good and sufficient Deed or Deeds thereof to make, execute and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers, and so to do, finish and complete within two years after the Probate of this my said will, and the proceeds of said sale of all said Real Estate devised to said Inhab- itants and their successors, shall be received by said agent or attorney, or other person duly authorized (by said Inhabitants or their successors for that purpose), and under good and sufficient bonds to said Inhabitants, and approved by the Selectmen for the time being of said Town, and said proceeds so received I order and direct to be put out and secured on interest on good and suffi- cient title or titles to Real Estate of three times the value of the amount of the sum loaned, said value of said Real Estate mort- gaged to secure the sum or sums loaned, to be ascertained and determined by three disinterested freeholders of said Town (hav- ing no other interest in the loaning of said sum or sums, or the giving of the title or titles to secure the payment of the sums loaned, than that in common with said Inhabitants under this devise), to be selected for that purpose by the said Inhabitants and their successors at a legal meeting called for that purpose in either of the months of March, April or November in each and every year, so long as there shall be any of said proceeds of said sale or sums growing out of the same from the interest thereof to be loaned, and also as often as it will be necessary to change the security from the foreclosing of the mortgage or mortgages, and selling said mortgaged estates, to the end that said sum or sums shall be on interest for the benefit of said Town, according to the intent and meaning of this devise, and that no one person shall receive by loan as aforesaid a larger sum than five hundred dol- lars out of said proceeds or the interest which may thereon accrue during the time the said proceeds shall be kept out for the benefit of said town. And the said proceeds, so loaned, put out and secured on interest, I hereby direct shall be so kept on interest, to be paid annually and loaned out on the security aforesaid annually, for the term of sixty years from the time of the sale aforesaid, after deducting from said interest annually, as the same are incurred, the amount of the reasonable charges for taking the charge and care of said fund, of such person or persons as said Town may select for that purpose, including the fee of the
315
THE MOSES WALLACE DEVISE.
appraisers of the Estate mortgaged. I order and direct that at the expiration of said term of sixty years the said proceeds of said Real Estate, with all the interest and compound interest which may have been collected and secured on interest as aforesaid (after deducting as aforesaid said charges and fee), shall be so forever thereafter kept on interest to be paid annually, the said annual interest after the expiration of said term shall first be applied to the building of a good and durable town Hall, with galleries upon three sides of it, with a good clock and bell attached to it, and sufficiently large to accommodate said Inhabitants in the transac- tion of town business, and with the letters M. W. enscribed in gilt in some conspicuous place upon the wall at the head of said hall, the whole expense whereof not to exceed twelve thousand dollars, which hall shall at all times be open and free for all Lec- tures, discourses and discussions upon the subject of politics and religion, not interfering with said Inhabitants in the transaction of any town business.
And after said annual interest shall have paid and discharged the expense of the building of said hall, so much of said interest thereafter accruing as shall be necessary to keep said hall, clock and bell in repair, shall be expended for that purpose so long as said building shall stand (and in case said hall should be destroyed by fire, or otherwise, it is my desire that it be rebuilt out of said annual interest thereafter accruing), and in case there shall be any surplus left of said annual interest, after discharging the expense of building said hall and keeping the same in repair as aforesaid, it is my will that the same shall first be applied for the support of the Paupers of said town, and in case after supporting said Pau- pers there shall still a surplus remain unexpended, the same shall be applied to the Public Highways of said Town of Douglas, and so forever after the building of said hall, subject only, in the destruction of the first aforesaid hall, of rebuilding as aforesaid, and the expense of taking the care and charge of said fund, as herein before named, said hall to be located in the most central and convenient place to accommodate said Inhabitants.
And in case said Inhabitants shall, for the space of six months after the approval of this my last will by the Probate Court as aforesaid, neglect or refuse to accept of this devise to them, and do not accept of the same, by a vote taken in Town meeting (to
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HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
that effect) and called for that purpose, then this devise to them shall become null and void. Then, in that case, I give and devise the same Real Estate I herein before devised to said Inhabitants unto Elbridge G. Wallace, to hold for and during the term of his natural life. It is my will that said Inhabitants take the profit and income of the Estate devised to them, from my decease until sold as aforesaid, in case they accept of said devise, and not otherwise.
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