USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > History of the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, comprising also a history of Lunenburg, from its first settlement to the year 1764 (1865) > Part 9
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Dr. Thaddeus McCarty, a physician of this town, in cou- nection with Dr. Israel AAtherton, a distinguished physician of Lancaster, established a hospital for this purpose, on Buek hill, so called, in the rear of Philip F. Cowdin's dwelling house, in the year 1776. To this place the people of this and the neigh- boring towus repaired, and had the small pox by innoculation. Notwithstanding all precautions, several died here; and instead of being carried to the grave-yards of their respective towns, they were buried on the hill on which they died. This was owing to a foolish notion then prevalent, that if these remains should ever be disturbed, they would communicate the dreaded disease to any one that might come in contact with them. Of the large number of patients who were here, it is not known that more than five died. If any should take the trouble to visit the place, they may find in the skirts of the wood a sorge graves the headstone of which bears this inscription :- Thenth Fairbanks, of Lancaster, died March 12th, 1777."
Dr. Medhets. it appears, labored incessantly to alleviate the pour of those who were suffering under this loathsome disorder,
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and to allay the fears of those who were well. For his exer- tions in this praiseworthy cause, the good people of the town showed their gratitude by propagating a report that either he or his friends introduced the disease into the place for the purpose of giving him a good business.
Dr. Thaddeus McCarty was a son of Rev. Thaddeus McCarty, of Worcester, and came into this town in 1772 or '3. He was then a young man, and the first physician who resided in this place. He married a daughter of Capt. Thomas Cowdin, and lived in the house now occupied by one or more families of color, in the Old. City. He was a man of good education, and reputed to have been skilful in his profession. So long as he remained in the town, he had great influence in public affairs. He removed from this town to Worcester in 1781. Remaining there a short time, he went to Keene, N. H., com- menced business as a trader there, and in a few years died. His only child, a daughter, is the wife of John Stiles, a wealthy citizen of Worcester.
The first store opened 'in this town, was kept by Deacon Ephraim Kimball. This took place about the year 1772. The store was in a part of his dwelling house, which stood where the Stone Factory now stands. After trading here several years, he commenced purchasing real estate, and lived on several farms which he successively bought. In 1794, he, in connection with Jonas Marshall, (as has been mentioned in another place) built a dam and a saw-mill where the red, or Rollstone Factory now is. In 1797, he built the house where Daniel Tuttle now lives, and there he spent the remainder of his days.
Joseph Fox, Esq. came into this town from Littleton, in 1772, and occupied a part of the "Boutelle" house. He was a shoe-maker by trade, and plied himself to his calling for some little time in his dwelling house. He commenced trading by bringing goods in his saddle-bags from Boston, and retailing them from his shoemaker's bench. Soon after this he opened
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the red store which constituted one in the block of old build- ings which stood between the main road and the Stone Factory. He was a man of great influence in the town, and died a few years since, after having acquired a large property.
About this time, William Hitchborn came from Boston. and built one of the houses in the block above mentioned. He was a hatter by trade, and a Justice of the Peace. In 1781. he was one of three persons licensed by the selectmen to sell tea. He appears not to have attracted much notice till it was in- derstood that he was about to procure a commission in the Peace, which in those days was a most important circumstance. An urgent remonstrance, headed by Dea. David Goodridge, and signed by a large mumber of citizens, was sent to the Fountain of Honor, protesting earnestly against the appointment. But a brother of Hitchborn then living in Boston, was too powerful, and the esquireship was obtained. despite the remonstrance. Hitch- born soon became very poor, sold his establishment to Joseph Fox, and returned to Boston.
It thus appears that the " Old City," as it is now called, was the distinguished part of the town-having the meeting-house, the tavern, the stores, the doctor, the hatter, and the miller. all within its precincts.
David Gibson, son of Isaac Gibson of Pearl Hill, having learned the baker's trade, turned his eyes westward of the Old City, and in a daring moment, reckless of a rough soil and its rougher prodnetions-such as pine stubs, hard-hack, grape-vines. &c. &e., built a bakery on the spot now occupied by the dwel- Jing house of E. Torrey, Esq., and located his dwelling house directly opposite to it. This was the first house built in what is now called the Village-unless the house of Benjamin Dan- forth. which stood nearly where S. M. Dole's house now stands, preceded it.
Gibson went to Vermont in 1792, and Dr. Peter Snow, who succeeded Dr. MeCarty in the practice of medicine in the town, moved into this house, and occupied it several years.
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Not far from the time when Gibson's house was built, Benja- min Kemp built a house where Jonas Marshall's brick house How stands. But this was so far west that it was not then considered as forming a component part of the " middle of the town."
Josephi Fenno, lived in a log house a few steps beyond the brick-yard brook-and nearly in front of Josiah Sheldon's present dwelling house. He afterwards built and occupied a house where Dea. Abel Downe now lives.
Capt. William Brown built the present dwelling house of Capt. Z. Sheldon, in the year 1783 or '4. He owned the mills and clothier's works in the Old City. He occupied this as his dwel- ling house at first, and afterwards as a tavern.
The houses built by David Gibson, by Benjamin Danforth, and by Capt. William Brown, were the only ones properly in the limits of the Village when the first Parish Meeting-house was built, in the year 1796.
In August, 1784, Dea. Kendall Boutelle and Thomas Stearns attended as delegates from this town, a Convention at Westmin- ster, holden for the purpose of dividing the County of Worces- ter, or for devising means for that purpose ; and in the follow- ing May, Dr. Jonas Marshall, Capt. Thomas Cowdin and Elijah Garfield attended a Convention at Lunenburg, for the same pur- pose. This has been, for a long time, a favorite object with the people in this town, but their efforts have never been crowned with the least success. They will probably be doomed for a long time to live at the distance of twenty-five miles from a court house and Jail.
After the declaration of peace, in 1783, a .general stagnation of all kinds of business, as is usual in such cases, ensued. The United Colonies were burdened with a debt of forty millions of dollars, without any means of paying it. Congress, under the Confederation, had power only to advise the several states to adopt certain measures to meet the wants of the times.
But the states, actuated by a spirit of commercial rivalry and
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jealousy, would agree upon no uniform system. So far then from any measures being adopted to pay the public debt, even the interest of it remained unpaid.
The whole body of the people became alarmed, and all confi- dence was destroyed. Certificates of public debt lost their credit, and many officers and soldiers of the late army, who were poor, were compelled to sell these certificates at excessive reductions. They had foudly hoped that if they could establish their inde- pendence, and a government of their own choosing, public and private prosperity would everywhere abound, and that things would go on delightfully. Bitter, now, was their disappointment. Of money, there was next to none. The introduction of the precious metals had been prevented by the war and its attendant evils, and the paper money in circulation was worth about two shillings on the pound. Creditors became alarmed, and used every means in their power to secure their debts. Business was at a stand- men " failed,"-and lawyers were overwhelmed with employment. Never was the labor of the profession in greater demand, and never were Courts of Justice filled with more business. Massa- chusetts, for the purpose of maintaining her credit, loaded the people with excessive taxes. It was impossible for them to meet the demands made upon them. They knew not the origin of the evils, bat supposed that there was some defeet in the laws-that there were either too many, or not enough. Petitions were poured in upon the Legislature from all quarters-but the Legislature, like all deliberative bodies, moved slow. The patience of the peo- ple was entirely exhausted in seeing their property seized on "ex- ecutions" issuing from these authoritive Courts, and, as petitions, remonstrances, and mild measures had failed to work out a remedy for their grievances, they determined to put down "WORCESTER, SS., In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," &c., by force of arms. Thus much it has been necessary to premise, to account for the origin of " Shays' Insurrection."
-1 large majority of the people of this, as well as the neighbor-
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ing towns, were " Shaysites." In extenuation, though not in jus- tification of their conduct, it may be remarked that their straight- forward method of thinking did not lead them to comprehend the actual state of public affairs, and the necessity of sacrificing pres- ent convenience to future good. After a war of eight years' dur- ation to avoid the evils of excessive and illegal taxation, they could not see what they had gained, if they were now to be subjected to severer taxation than ever. Gov. Bowdoin did not possess the confidence of the people, but was looked upon, as I have been told, rather as a "Britainer."
They did not break out into open rebellion here, though they stood ready, and undoubtedly would have done so, had they been goaded much further by the acts of the government. Their valor was fortunately well tempered with discretion. They knew that taking up arms against government was treason, and they knew that treason was a " hanging matter." However, they put no restraint upon their tongues, and their language savored strongly of rebellion. Some, it must be confessed, "swore terribly ;" and the taxes ordered by the General Court were not all collected.
In June, 1786, Robert Burnham, Daniel Putnam, Thomas Stearns, Elijah Willard, and Phinehas Hartwell, were chosen a committee to take into consideration the circumstances of the town, its burdens, and to petition to the General Court for a redress of grievances. At the same meeting Elijah Willard was appointed a delegate to a Convention of the people of the County of Worcester, to take into consideration the public affairs of the Commonwealth.
Open rebellion having broken out in several places, and threats and demonstrations of warlike movements beginning to appear in others, the State Authorities were compelled to take notice of them, and resolved to put them down by an armed force. They had under their control the militia of the Commonwealth, and on their side all those who preferred good order, and an observance of the Laws-though somewhat objectionable -to open rebellion
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and civil war. Companies of the military were stationed in the infected districts, with orders to seize upon suspected persons, that they might be confined, or take an oath of allegiance and fidelity to the Commonwealth.
The town voted that Mr. Willard should attend the Convention at Worcester, and that they would defend his property if he should be taken in person by government for his attendance- provided he behaved in an orderly and peaceable manner- other- wise they prudently resolved that he should take all the risks upon his own shoulders.
In January, 1787, the town voted to petition the Legislature to have the Courts of Common Pleas, and of the Session, suspended till the choice of a new Representative house in the following May-also, to petition the government to liberate Capt. Shattuck and others, (who had been apprehended and imprisoned by the state (authorities) on their promising to behave as peaceable and faithful subjects of the Commonwealth, *- also to petition the goverment that the people might have the privilege of the Writ of Habeus Corpus. Phinehas Hartwell, Elijah Willard, and Dea. Ephraim Kimball were appointed to draft the above-men- tioned petitions.
Thomas Cowdin, Esq., who firmly adhered to the government. was appointed in this town to administer the oath of allegiance and fidelity to those suspected persons who were compelled un- willingly to appear before him. A large company of soldiers, commanded by Capt. Johnson, was sent up from Lancaster to examine into the soundness of loyalty here. They had their marters at the house of Capt. Thomas Cowdin for a few days, and then were removed to where .I. I. Haynes now lives. Their business was to sally out by night, and sieze upon per- sons who happened to be suspected of entertaining dangerous
"Cap. Shattuck was a distinguished Shay site of Pepperell, and was apprehended for his treason ble design. He was most shamefully abused, and his he was threatened by those into whose Cas he had fallen Hice elition consequently excited the sympathy of all those who were
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opinions, and bring them by force before Capt. Cowdin, where they were compelled to take the oath, or be carried to jail.
It will readily be imagined that the people of the town were exceedingly indignant at such a state of things, when the Writ of Habeas Corpus was suspended, and martial law enforced. On more than one occasion were the citizens and soldiers on the point of engaging in deadly strife, which was prevented only by the latter yielding the point to the former. Some were quite ready, even with the halter dangling before their eyes. to oppose force to force, when they were awakened at dead of night by patroles of armed soldiers, who, strong in the protec- tion of government, sometimes were guilty of shameful excesses.
Joshua Pierce, (who lived where Alonzo P. Goodridge now does) a warm Shaysite, was seized and brought before Esquire Cowdin, and, proving contumacious about the oath, he was held " in durance vile" for several days. Harsh measures were threatened to reduce him to subjection, but the soldiers feared the people, whose demonstrations were not to be mistaken, and they let him go.
The Gibsons of Pearl Hill were threatened with a nocturnal . visit from the military. The wrath of these stout ycomen, who prided themselves not a little on their courage and strength, was kindled at this intimation. They (" Reuben and Jake"- as I have been told) stationed themselves on the common, and dared the soldiers to lay hands on them. The latter declined the contest, or a "battle royal" would probably have ensued.
Dr. Jonas Marshall was eagerly sought for, but he eluded their search by secreting himself in the cellar of "Upton's Tavern." He was not further troubled with unwelcome visits. in consequence of threats which he made, of furnishing the entry to his house with a trap door, so that if the soldiers desired to search his house, they might commence operations by examining the cellar first.
During this winter, (1786-7) the military company was re-
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moved to Townsend. They gave the finishing touch to their impudence by pressing into their service, for conveyance, both men and horses, for which no recompense was offered. On this occasion, Asa Perry, who hated the soldiers most cordially, did them the favor of turning them several times into snow-drifts- all by accident, of course.
The force headed by Shays himself having been dispersed, the agitation on this subject principally subsided in the following year. John Hancock was chosen Governor, and a majority of the House of Representatives were disposed to regard with a more favorable eye the interests of " the people." A elieck was placed upon the system of sueing, by passing a law that a debtor, when sued, might have whatever articles of his property he should choose appraised, and the creditor was compelled to take such articles at the valuation, or lose his debt. This law, in derision, was called the "hog-trough law," as a man might have his hog-trough appraised, and turned in to pay his debts.
One circumstance relative to the singing in the meeting-house at this period, is deserving of notice, inasmuch as it shows the carefulness of our fathers in guarding against innovations in all things pertaining to religious worship. It was the practice, pre- vious to this time, in our churches, to have the minister select and read the psahn, or hymn, as now, then the oldest deacon would read one line, which was sung by all who could sing, sitting promiscuously in every part of the meeting-house. Then another line was read and sung in the same manner, and so on through the psahn, or hymn. It appears that in 1787, some bold innovators in psahnody undertook to introduce something similar to our present mode of singing, together with some new times. These latter were quite incomprehensible to some veterans whose sweet voices of fifty years' standing were hushed in con- sequence. They of course exclaimed against the innovation; others objected to it as irreligious and uuscriptural. The point was argued with so much warmth on both sides, that it attracted
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the attention of the whole town. Accordingly, an article was inserted in a warrant for a town meeting, reading thus-" To see if the town will vote to come into any general rule in re- gard to carrying on the singing part of the public worship of God ; and whether the singers shall sing a part of the time with- out reading, and how the psalm shall be read-whether by line or verse, or act anything thereon." A committee was chosen to take the thing into serious consideration, and to report at the next meeting.
The committee made the following report, which was accepted. " There shall be singing five times in the worshiping on the Lord's day, in the following manner : The first singing in the morning before prayers, shall be without reading and singing line by line. After prayers, in the singing, each line shall be read and sung separately, and such tunes shall be set as the congregation can, in general, sing. The first singing in the afternoon and before prayers, shall be without reading and singing line by line. After prayers, each line shall be read and sung separately, and after sermon, the singing shall be without reading and singing line by line." Thus happily was this difficult matter compromised. Enough of the old fashion was retained to satisfy the aged people, whose prejudices in this matter were probably imbedded in their very existence, while the taste of those who were pleased with the change was gratified by carrying three-fifths of their point.
In December of this year, (1787) Doa. Daniel Putnam was chosen to represent the town in the State Convention which was held at Boston on the second Wednesday of 1788, to deliberate on the subject matter of the new proposed Federal Constitution. He was unanimously instructed to vote in favor of the Constitution, with amendments.
Perhaps enough has already been said respecting the appear- ance of the centre of the town-the number and situation of the houses-to convey a tolerably accurate idea of its condition in
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1786, or fifty years ago. A cursory view of it, however, may prove somewhat interesting. A traveler approaching from the cast or south, would first behold the tavern of Thomas Cowdin, Esq. Upon the hill to the north-west, might be seen a small, yellow, and rather mean-looking meeting-house. In front would appear the "red store" of Joseph Fox, Esq., and iu the rear of that, his dwelling house, with large projecting caves. The mills and dwelling house of Dea. Ephraim Kimball were just below, and over the bridge were two houses more. Casting his eyes up the hill, he would see the house of Rev. Mr. Payson, where C. Marshall now lives. This was all that could be seen, and all that then constituted the middle of Fitchburg. Thence proceeding westward, over a crooked and rough road, the traveler would next see the house already mentioned as having been built by David Gibson, and opposite to that, on the right, the baker's shop. He would then come on to the present common. Here his sight would be greeted by small, stinted pine trees, and such bushes as grow upon the poorest land. A straggling log fence here and there might serve to diversify the scone. Nothing more was to be seen, unless William Brown had com- menced building Capt. Z. Sheldon's present dwelling house, till passing the swell of ground at Dr. Abel Fox's house, the modest, unassuming house of Benjamin Danforth would be visible on the right, and his blacksmith's shop on the left. Continuing his course onward, over one of the most wretched roads that ever bore that name, and passing over the high bridge-and a crazy one it was-near the bellows shop of Messrs. Thurston & Battis, no marks of human habitation were to be seen, till passing round the hill, he might discern in the distance the solitary cottage of Benjamin Kemp.
The river, which is now crowded, so to speak, with mills and factories, then appeared like a useless profusion of water flowing noisily along over its rocky bed to the parent ocean. unob- structed by a single dam, save the one in the Old City. Such,
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fifty years ago, was the forbidding aspect of what is now the busy and pleasant village of Fitchburg.
I have been thus particular in describing the appearance of the centre of the town at this period, because then arose the contest respecting the location of a new meeting house-a con- test which continued full ten years, and was conducted with more bitterness of feeling, and display of angry passions, than any other town difficulty that ever existed among us.
The wealth and business of the town is now so concentrated. that it would seem like folly to contend that the meeting house should be placed anywhere else than in, or near its present loca- tion. But from what has already been said, and from what will be hereafter explained, concerning the condition of the westerly part of the town, it will appear that those who desired the . meeting house to be located further west were not so destitute of reason as one hastily judging might be inclined to suppose.
The west, at this time, was probably the most flourishing part of the town. The farmers, in selecting their locations, were guided hither by the circumstance that here was some of the best soil in the town, and that the higher grounds were not so liable to be visited by early frosts as the lower grounds on the borders of the river. The river, indeed, instead of being viewed with eyes of favor, was dreaded as a curse. Though it fur- nished water power for a single mill, this did not have the weight of a feather in comparison with the heavy expense of maintaining the bridges. It is not surprising, therefore, that the people of the west, burdened with no such plague within their precincts, should desire to cut themselves free from such an onerous annual tax. The tract of land now known as Dean's hill, having a good soil, and an elevation such as would strike the eye of a pioneer with delight, was carly settled; and, fifty years ago, was the most flourishing part of the town.
Jacob Upton then kept quite a celebrated tavern where Capt. Dean lately lived. Jedediah Cooper also kept tavern where his
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son, Samuel Cooper now lives. Capt. John Upton had a store in the small house now occupied by Daniel Flint. Dr. Stone, now a distinguished physician in Harvard, and after him Dr. Ball,* practised medicine here. Near the tavern was another important appendage, a blacksmith's shop, in full operation. The land here was in a good state of cultivation, and the farmers were industrious and prosperous. The Crown Point road, which took the principal travel between Vermont and Boston, passed over this hill, and added not a little to its appearance of activity. With all these advantages and prospects, it is not surprising that the inhabitants felt their importance, and desired to exalt their condition above that of being merely an outskirt of the town of Fitchburg.
Accordingly, early in the year 1785, an article was inserted in the warrant for a town meeting-" To see if the town would take into consideration the request of Jacob Upton and others to see if the town will set off the inhabitants of the north-westerly part of Fitchburg, with their lands and privileges, free and clear from said Fitchburg, to join the extreme part of Westminster, with the north-easterly part of Ashburnham, to be incorporated into a town, to have town privileges, as other towns." If this request had been granted, the people of the new town would have erected a meeting house not far from Upton's tavern. The effect of this was well understood. The rise in the value of real estate in that vicinity, and the impulse that would be given to business by making it the middle of the town, conspired to awaken the ener- gies of those interested in such a consummation to bring about the desired object. But it encountered many difficulties. It was too local in its nature-and notwithstanding all the energy with which it was urged in town meeting, not only the east, but every
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