USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Franklin > History of the town of Franklin, Mass., from its settlement to the completion of its first century > Part 6
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We have agreed with Mr. John Adams for the wedge of land lying between the way from the meeting-house leading to the Rev. Nathanael Emmons and the way from the said meeting-house to Ens. John Adams, being nine acres, at £1 10s. per acre : also, 38 rod of land west of said way at the same rate ; also 12 acres in the hollow south of the old meeting-house at £3. And of Nathan- iel Adams 140 rods of land east of the way from said meeting- house leading to Mr. Emmons, at the rate of £1 10s. per acre. Also a road three rods wide through his improved land, beginning at the road from JJohn Adams, Jr .. to go a straight course between his house and well to the land above mentioned. For which he is. to receive as a satisfaction £8 in money and the acre of land whereon the meeting-house now stands, with the road that is now wanted, in by his house, to said acre.
The bargain was sanctioned, and in December, 1789, the town voted to buy the piece of land north of the new meeting-house, once bought of Nathaniel Adams by John Richardson, to make the Common more convenient, at 6d. per rod, containing 59} rods. This addition was balanced by the sale to Nathaniel Adams of a small piece of shrub land lying on a side-hill south of the old meeting-house. In October, 1790, the plan of the Common thus constructed was accepted, and certain old roads now useless were discontinued. A new road was opened from Abijah Thurston's through the land of John Adams to the new meeting-house, and Adams was directed to " clear up the part of his land west of the road leading from his house to the meeting-house for the safety of said house."
In subsequent years the ownership of the Common was a mat- ter of frequent discussion between town and parish. But so far as appears, all after improvements upon it were made by private subscriptions ; and the fact of a movement to have the town pur- chase the Common of the parish, indicates decidedly to what con- elusion the town arrived. But the movement failed of a vote,
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when a committee of the town recommended its purchase for $3,000. The improvement of the Common, by planting shade trees, laying out walks, etc .. is in the hands of a voluntary associ- ation at the present time.
V. MAPS OF THE TOWN.
The earliest known map of the territory of Franklin is in the town office of Wrentham. It is entitled. " A Plan of the Town of Wrentham. Shewing the Figure and Bounds thereof. Particu- larly of the Westerly Bound and Marks the Scituation of the Ponds, first House Lotts shewn by JJust. Ware. Eben" Fisher and others. - - May 1735 pr Sam' Brooks Sury"."
This map contains inside its boundaries only the two ponds, two or three short streets and the location and names of the first set- tlers. The outline of the West Precinct is dotted within it. evi- dently at a later date. and is almost exactly coincident with the present boundaries of Franklin.
An exact but reduced fac-simile of this ancient map and its contents is given in the accompanying drawing. The original is on a scale of forty chains to the inch.
A map of more interest to us is in the archives of the State House at Boston. It is from surveys made by Amos Hawes and Moses Fisher in September, October, and November, 1794, and is dated 27th May. 1795. The subscript says "There is about 17,602 acres in said town and that there are four Ponds which contain 20 acres and a half as laid down on the Plan. The roads in said Franklin are 582 miles in length and two rods in Breadth and contain 221 acres and one-quarter. Charles River on the North is about 5 rods in width and Mine Brook about one rod. The Centre of said Town is Thirty Miles from Boston the Capital of the State and Nineteen Miles from Dedham the Shire Town of the County." A reduced fac-simile of this map is inserted within the map of Wrentham and enclosed within the dotted lines.
In 1795, November 2, the selectmen were directed to " procure a plan of the town drawed on Parchment 100 rods to an inch, delin- eating the roads, Ponds, Streams, Houses, and Mills, specifying the distance of every house from the meeting-house in sd town. the distance of the Town from the Shiretown of the County, the
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN.
distance from the Capital of the state, the quantity of land in sd town, the surface of water contained in the ponds, and the quan- tity of land contained in the roads. Said plan to be the property of the town, to be lodged in the town elerk's office." No such map is now discoverable in the town office or elsewhere, unless that in the State House be the one intended.
In 1830, the State Legislature passed an act requiring the towns to make a survey of their territory. This town responded with a map, surveyed by John G. Hales, and lithographed, of which the town bought 200 copies at cost, to be resold at forty-two cents apiece. These went off slowly, and in 1837 the town voted to sell the balance at auction. Copies of this map of 1832 are still somewhat plenty. No survey of the town has since been made at the town's expense. The maps in the atlas of Norfolk county, of 1876. were issued by subscription of individuals, the town vot- ing, 4th March, 1874, to buy a copy of the atlas at half price for the several public schools. Whether the schools now have a copy, the school committee can probably tell.
VI. VOTES ON CIVIL MATTERS.
The action of the town as a corporation is rather indicated by its general drift than by its specific votes. But its political sym- pathies are shown in its instructions at different times to its repre- sentatives - many of which are decisive enough -and in its majorities for State and National officers. Some votes on particu- lar questions have, therefore, a value in the town's history.
In 1778, a new State constitution was submitted to the people. A special committee, of which the minister was chairman, was chosen to examine it, whose report and subsequent discussion led to a non-approval of the instrument. The Concord Convention of 17th July, 1779, was highly approved of " as calculated to answer the great purpose of appreciating our paper currency," and the prices of commodities as then recommended were adopted. The vote for the State constitution of 1780 was 105. The revised constitution of 1820 experienced a curious reception, decidedly indicative of the independent thinking and acting of the voters. The fourteen articles passed as follows : -
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ADDENDA.
Article 1.
20 yeas, 126 mays. |
Article 8. .133 yeas, 15 nays.
Article 2.
0 yeas,
146 nays.
Article 9. 91 yeas, 6 nays.
Article 3. 136 yeas, 7 nays.
Article 10. 1 yea, 120 nays.
Article 4.
126 yeas, 21 nays.
Article 11 100 yeas, 5 nays.
Article 5. 71 yeas,
67 nays.
Article 12 1 yea, 97 nays.
Article 6.
2 yeas,
138 nays.
Article 13.
104 yeas, 0 nays.
Article 7. 128 yeas,
6 nays.
Article 14. 8 yeas, 101 nays.
The amendments of 1833, 1836, and 1840 were passed almost without opposition. Subsequent votes of the town on later amendments indicate the same independent and intelligent judg- ment. The revised constitution of 1853 was rejected on three of its eight general divisions.
VII. THE PUBLIC POOR.
At the incorporation of the town there were only five paupers in, the whole area of Wrentham, two of whom fell to Franklin, and the thrift of the people was such that for many years no mention is made in the records of any need of public provision for the poor. In 1799, regulations were adopted by the town for their care. As the custom then was, they were put out to the lowest bidder; but the successful bidder must be approved by the selectmen and held strictly to furnish all comforts except clothes and medicine, which were supplied by the town, and to remove the poor elsewhere at his own expense, on any complaint approved by the selectmen. At this date there were only five to be so disposed of.
In 1835, the dwelling-house and farm were purchased of Mr. Alpheus Adams, for an almshouse, at a cost of $3,000. It contains 125 acres, a two-story dwelling-house, 40x32 feet, a barn 50x26 feet, and other smaller buildings. Since 1835, the number of its inmates has not at any time exceeded twelve.
In 1868 the almshouse was burned, and the following April the town voted to build another twenty rods farther east. This new building is now in use.
VIII. PUBLIC LIBRARY.
What is now regarded as a town necessity had hardly an exist- ence outside of colleges a hundred years ago. Franklin was blessed with the donation of a library before it was ten years old, which became the foundation for its present respectable collection of books.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN.
The tradition is current that Dr. Franklin gave a library in- stead of a bell as had been suggested to him, because he believed such a people must prefer sense to sound. But a diligent search has found no verification of this very probable, characteristic and appropriate remark. But there is a letter of value, the original of which is in the collections of the Maine Historical Society at Brunswick, and a copy of which the secretary, Prof. A. S. Pack- ard, has kindly furnished : -
PASSY, April 13, 1785.
DEAR COUSIN : I received your letter of Decem" 16 relating to Jonas Hartwell. I had before written to our Minister at Madrid, Mr. Carmichael, requesting him to apply for the Release of that Man. Inclosed I send His answer, with Copies of other Papers relating to the Affair. The Simpleton will be discharged, perhaps after being a little whipt for his Folly, & that may not be amiss. We have here another New England man, Thayer, formerly a can- didate for the Ministry, who converted himself lately at Rome, & is now preparing to return home, for the purpose of convert- ing his Countrymen. Our ancestors from Catholics became first, Church of England men, & then, refined into Presbyterians. To change now from Presbyterianism to Popery, seems to me re- fining backwards, from white sugar to brown.
I have written to Dr. Price of London, requesting him to make a choice of proper Books to commence a Library for the use of the Inhabitants of Franklin. They will be sent directly from thence. * Your affectionate uncle,
B. FRANKLIN.
JONA. WILLIAMS, Esq.
This Dr. Price was Rev. Richard Price, a close friend of Dr. Franklin's, who published several strong pamphlets in advocacy of the American cause of liberty, and whom our Congress invited to become a citizen and aid in the financial affairs of the government, an invitation which he politely declined.
It is interesting to study his idea of a proper library for a young Massachusetts town ; and a copy of the original catalogue (printed 1786) is given as a guide thereto : -
Clark's Works, 4 vols .. folio. Hoadley's Works, 3 vols., folio. Barrows' Works, 2 vols., folio. Ridgeley's Works, 2 vols., folio. Locke's Works, 4 vols., octavo. Sydney's Works, 1 vol., octavo.
Montesquien's Spirit of Laws, 2 vols. Blackstone's Commentaries, 4 vols.
Watson's Tracts, 6 vols.
Newton on the Prophesies, 3 vols.
Law on Religion, 1 vol.
Priestley's Institutes, 2 vols.
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ADDENDA.
Priestley's Corruptions, 2 vols. Price and Priestley, 1 vol.
Watts on the Passions, 1 vol. Watts' Logic, 1 vol.
Edwards on Religion, 1 vol.
Dickinson on the Five Points, 1 vol.
Christian History, 2 vols.
Prideaux's Connections, 4 vols. Cooper on Predestination, 1 vol. Cambridge Platform, 1 vol.
Price on Liberty, 1 vol.
Price on the Christian Scheme, 1 vol.
Stoddard's Safety of Appearing, 1 vol.
Price's Sermons, 1 vol.
Needham's Free State, 1 vol.
West and Littleton on the Resurrec- tion, 1 vol.
Stennet's Sermons, 2 vols. Addison's Evidences, 1 vol.
.Gordon's Tacitus, 5 vols.
Backus' History, 1 vol.
Emmons' Sermons, 1 vol.
Lardner on the Logus, 1 vol., 8vo. Watts' Orthodoxy and Charity, 1 vol.
Brainerd's Life, 1 vol.
Bellamy's True Religion, 1 vol.
Doddridge's Life, 1 vol.
Ames' Oration, 1 vol.
Bellamy's Permission of Sin, 1 vol.
Spectators, 8 vols.
Life of Baron Trenk, 1 vol.
Fordyce's Sermons, 1 vol.
Hemminway against Hopkins, 1 vol. Hopkins on Holness, 1 vol.
Moral Repository, 1 vol.
Fitch's Poem, 1 vol.
Life of Cromwell, 1 vol.
Fulfilling the Scriptures, 1 vol.
Erskine's Sermons, 1 vol.
A few of the smaller ones must have been added from this side the water. A private library of 125 volumes for the use of the shareholders was added to the Franklin gift soon afterwards. These books were equally substantial. Still, in the dearth of reading of that time, even a folio of sermons was not unattractive, as the present writer can testify.
The town had some difficulty in deciding by whom the Library might be used. At first it was limited to members of the parish. In November, 1788, the books were opened to the whole town. In June, 1789, Mr. Emmons is directed by the town to lend out the books " according to the directions in the letter accompany- ing said library." But that letter has disappeared. In 1790 they are opened " to the inhabitants of the town at large until the town shall order otherwise." And so the matter has remained unto the present day. The Congregational pastor has been the custodian, and sometimes for years uncalled upon to deliver a book out of the antiquated collection. A committee was chosen
.
Burkett on Personal Reformation, 1 v.
Barnard's Sermons, 1 vol.
Shepard's Sound Believer, 1 vol. History of the Rebellion, 1 vol.
Janeway's Life, 1 vol.
Hopkin's Systein, 2 vols.
American Preacher, 4 vols.
Thomas' Laws of Massachusetts, 1 vol.
American Constitutions, 1 vol.
Young's Night Thoughts, 1 vol.
Pilgrim's Progress, 1 vol.
Cheap Repository, 2 vols.
Lyndsey's Apology and Sequel, 2 vols. Abernethy's Sermons, 2 vols. Duchal's Sermons, 3 vols.
Price's Morals, 1 vol. Price on Providence, 1 vol.
.72
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN.
in March, 1840, to look after the neglected donation, which they found stowed away in its venerable book-case in a barn. The ultimate result of this and another investigation in 1856, was the forming of a Library Association, to which the town by vote com- mitted the care of the old Franklin and Social libraries. These are now together, and form a nucleus for annual additions, towards which the town appropriates "the dog money" and $400 per annum.
From Libraries we pass naturally to
IX. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Before this precinct was incorporated, in the winter of 1734-5, the first preacher sent amongst its few people was directed also to teach school for four months ; and this arrangement was continued by the town of Wrentham, employing different persons, until the precinct assumed the management of its own affairs.
As early as June, 1685, Wrentham set apart a lot of twenty to twenty-five acres for the support of schools. In March, 1695, & school-house was voted, sixteen feet square besides the chimney, and in the failure of a teacher, the selectmen kept the school one- week each in turn. Among the earliest school teachers were Theodore Man and John Fales. In 1718 four separate schools are ordered, one at each cardinal point of the town. In 1728 the old Wrentham school-house of 1695 is sold at auction. Feb. 11, 1754, the school lands, which by successive grants had amounted to nearly fifty acres, were, by leave of the court, sold at auction, the twenty-five acres at Stop river being started at £90. In 1760, the lands between the two ponds (Blake's pond and the Mill pond, now Whiting's), which the Wrentham proprietors had donated to the town 30th January, 1744, on condition that they should be used for schools, were sold by order of the town for £158 15s. 8d., of which the west precinct were to have their share " as soon as set off into a town for the same use."
What became of the Franklin share of this money is not clear from the records. But in 1792, a claim to certain moneys in the Wrentham treasury was referred to an outside committee - Daniel Perry, John Stone, and Elisha May - who adjudged £33 4s. to the town, a good part of which was absorbed in the costs of get- ting it.
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ADDENDA.
The first grant of money by the town for schools was £200. in May 20, 1778, under the following directions : -
Voted that the money granted, to be appropriated for the sup- port of Schools in this town the year ensuing, be and hereby is ordered to be expended in the following manner, viz : the several School Destricts in this town to have the same Bounds and Lim- inits as was usual Before this town was Incorporated, unless in the opinion of the Selectmen some alteration are necessary, which is left to their discretion to make if they think proper; and that some time Before the Last day of June Next the Inhabitants of Each perticular Destrict shall give to the Selectmen the Number of Children Between the Age of four years and sixteen that live in each perticular destrict, and the Selectmen are hereby directed to Divide the School money by the Polls taking the whole number of Children in the town as above Described and ascertain to Each Destrict what Sum they have a Right to Expend, and the Inhabi- tants of Each Destrict shall have Liberty to hire School Masters, or Mistress, or both, they being such as shall be approved by the Selectmen to keep school in their Perticular District until their shair of the money is Expended. Provided the same be Accom- plished Before the Last Day of June 1779. - and in case any Dis- triet shall Neglect to Expend their part of the money by the time Perfixt without a sufficient Excuse to the Satisfaction of the Selectmen, the Remainder not Expended as aforesaid shall Re- main in the Treasury for the use of such a school as the town shall afterward order.
One year later, May 19, 1779, the sum of £400 was granted for support of schools, with a similar vote as to mode of expend- ing the same. In 1780 the grant was £800. These sums were in a currency known as the " old emission," and of depreciated value. In 1781 the grant was £200, of new emission : but in 1782 the. grant was reduced to £80.
The grants from year to year were about the same in amount until A. D. 1796, when the sum of $320 was granted, which amount was gradually increased until A. D. 1802, when $500 was granted. In 1814 $600 was granted, and in 1823 it was raised to $700. The grant for schools in 1839 was $1.000; in 1855, $1,600, and in 1862 the sum of $1,750 was granted and apportioned to the sev- eral schools, in accordance with the recommendation of a special committee. In 1865 $2,500 was granted, and in 1868 $4,000 was. the sum granted, and the town voted to establish a High School.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN.
In 1873 the grant was raised to $6,000, which amount has been continued to the present time .*
These grants have had various methods of subdivision. From 1778 until 1812 it was divided according to the number of children between four and sixteen, excepting in 1792, 1795 to 1797, when the division was by families. In 1813, and mainly until the aboli- tion of the district system, the distribution has been one-half by the number of families, and one-half by the number of children. In 1789 it was voted that any district neglecting to make return of the number of school children at a fixed time should forfeit its portion of the appropriation.
The employment of teachers had been for many years entrusted to the selectmen. Afterwards, the teachers must be approved by the selectmen, but chosen by the districts. Next, the town appointed prudential committees to secure teachers. ' In 1827 the several districts were authorized to choose their own committees, and this became an annual vote, so far as appears, while the dis- tricts continued.
At first the clergyman annually visited and catechised the schools, and it was a great day when the catechising came. It usually came in May. Notice was given on the Sabbath of the intended place and hour, and promptly gathered the freshly-washed and brushed scholars with their new summer apparel. The mo- ment the well-known chaise appeared the noise of fifty children ceased, and each glided into a seat in silent, waiting expectation for the incoming of the minister. Every scholar arose as he en- tered the room, and stood until he reached the desk. After a very short prayer they sat. and he began here or there as his eye chanced to fall, until every child had told his own and his parents' names, and had answered or failed to answer some question from the assembly's catechism. Some of the abashed ones' misquota- tions caused even the grave man in black to smile.
It has been told, for example, that a lad, very bashful by na- ture and unusually tall for his years, had timidly doubled himself upon a low seat. When called up in his turn he slowly rose and waited, blushing and abashed at his short name and awkward height. Quickly, as the Rev. Doctors' manner was, came the
* See Report of School Committee for 1877.
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ADDENDA.
question, " Can you say the Lord's prayer?" "The - Lord's - Prayer," slowly stammered the confused youth, and gradually slid himself together again, like a telescope, back to his seat. It was a difficult moment for solemnity.
These annual catechisings continued far into the present cen- tury and nearly unto the end of the reverend pastor's ministry, and until a sharper definition of the public school and the school committee came into full, official position. The first committee was chosen by the town in March, 1802. A list of the incumbents up to the present time is appended, with other town officers. The first report preserved in the town records dates March, 1810. Subsequently they are frequently copied by vote of the town. They generally and sometimes vigorously discuss the importance and requirements of popular education, and are not seldom ac- cepted with a vote of thanks from the town.
The establishment of school boundaries and the location of school-houses has been determined by the wants of the children. At first, a central school had to supply all. Before the separation from Wrentham others had been established. In 1791 liberty was given to the overflow of any district to attend any school in town where the teacher could conveniently receive them. In Jan- uary, 1795, a committee was instructed to report upon the needed number of school-houses, and where they should be located. In January, 1795, a committee was instructed to report upon the needed number of school-houses and where they should be located. In November following their report is received, recommending six districts and as many school-houses- namely, at River End, at Long Walk division, at Maj. Moses Knapp's division, "where it now is," at Capt. Asa Fairbanks', "not more than twenty rods from Mine Brook," at Dea. James Metcalf's division, and at the meeting-house " on the East side of the way from the meeting- house to Mr. Emmons', near the corner of Hezekiah Fisher's land." But in 1800 these divisions suffered a rearrangement more in accordance with their after boundaries, and their names were changed to geographical designations. In 1822 the River End district was divided, and other divisions occurred until the number of schools was increased to ten - the present number of mixed schools. The central school, however, is graded into four departments and six schools, with a total attendance the current
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN.
year of 314. The number of attending school children in town is 572.
The materials are not discoverable for any particular notice of the "red school-houses," which once illuminated the cross-roads of the town. Their places have been filled by far more conven- ient and sightly buildings, erected by the town after the abolition of the district system. But of the present buildings there is no need of mention.
The public schools, insufficient in length for the demands of the people, were often prolonged by private subscriptions ; and many scholars annually resorted to Day's Academy, in Wrentham, for higher instruction, especially in the classics for a college course. A graduate occasionally taught an extra term in the autumn.
Requests from several persons encouraged the present writer to attempt a private school of a higher grade at his own charges, in the fall of 1835, after his graduation from Amherst College. The central district kindly offered the use of its school-house. The tuition was placed at twenty-five and thirty-three cents per week, and a High School was opened with fifty-six scholars, of whom fourteen came from other towns. With such encouragement the school continued for several years, and with a constantly increas- ing patronage, until its term rolls counted sometimes nearly a hun- dred names. Within the first year of its existence a large two- story building was erected by a stock company, with accommoda- tions for a hundred pupils, recitation-rooms, a large hall for pub- lie examinations, apparatus, etc.
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