USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
185
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
the river across the intervale towards Bolton. This was the road across the "Swans' Swamp " so often mentioned in the old Records. In later years the bridge was built still farther up the river, or towards the south. And later still it was lo- cated a few rods north of the present Center bridge, the site of which was first used for bridge purposes in the year 1871. Going back to the original crossing, and taking position on the east side of the river, one road ran east to what is now Bolton and on to Concord ; the other ran northeast to Gro- ton. At the present day, the body of water called "Dead river " covers the bed of the road to Groton, and the pros- pect is that the main stream will take that direction.
In those old times, a road came down the river from the Ath- erton bridge, on the east side, to the point where the roads to Concord and Groton diverged. Before the middle of the last century the road across the Swans' Swamp was abandoned, the bridge was moved up stream, one third of the way to the present Center bridge, and the travel from the present Cen- ter of the town to the Old Common and the eastern towns, was as follows : Turning east, at the corner by the house of Dr. Thompson, and going to the bend of the road east of C. L. Wilder's, the traveler would turn sharply to the right, and pass to the bank of the river over the causeway. He then would ascend the river about eighty rods, to the bridge. Crossing, he would take the road that came down from the Atherton bridge, and after going perhaps a furlong, would turn to the left, and make his way to the Old Common. [See the map showing the changes in Nashua river, where the po- sition of the bridges is given.]
At a town meeting on the fourteenth of May, 1718, it was voted " to have Mr. Samuel Howe for a school-master for the year ensuing, beginning the first day of May current, and to allow him £40 for the year, or proportionably for what time he shall serve." Also, "12 shillings to Mr. Osgood for going after a school-master."
186
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
At a proprietors' meeting, the next day, it was voted to " leave six acres of land for a training field by the highway before Thomas Sawyer's door, to be laid out by the committee for that use." At the same time, by exchange with Joseph Wilder, the town secured "three acres by the highway near Justice Houghton's barn, to lie common for a training field." The first field was in South Lancaster, and the second was on or near the Old Common.
On the twentieth of August, the inhabitants met at the meeting-house to give in an " invoice of polls and estates for the province tax and other assessments arising in said town." This would indicate that the people came to the assessors, in- stead of the assessors going to the people. The arrangement would bring all the inhabitants together, and tend to secure fairness in levying the rates. At the same meeting, the Rev. John Prentice requested that some addition be made to his salary. A few weeks later, it was voted to add fifteen pounds to his salary, making it eighty-five pounds, because " bills of credit were of so low a value."
There was a town meeting for the choice of officers on the second of March, 1718-19, the first of which a record remains, since the re-settlement. The action of this meeting was given in the preceding chapter.
The proprietors held a meeting on the third of May, 1819, and voted that " the land which lieth free in the Swans' Swamp and is not yet laid out, be stated and staked out for a high- way as near the extent of the breadth prescribed in the town book for the same as may be." This breadth was eight or ten rods. The highway was there, but the bounds had not been staked out. The broad way may still be found, lined on the north side by a long row of ancient button-ball trees, extend- ing from near the river far into the intervale.
As showing the relative value of labor and land, the fol- lowing item is cited. "Paid Jonas Houghton five shillings a day for measuring the stated common ; assistants three shil- lings. Pay in land at four shillings an acre."
187
PRICE OF LAND.
In regard to roads these citations are given. " Began at the Swans' Swamp and ran a straight line from the end of Glazier's ditch to a white oak stump below Benjamin Bellow's house." Opened a " road from the stated common to Week- apeckit brook." This last was from some point near the brick school-house, and over George hill. A way was laid out from " Randevou tree"-rendezvous-to the north east corner of the town, now Harvard. Also various ways "high and by" in Harvard, Bolton and Berlin. These roads were au- thorised by a meeting of the proprietors, as were several in the next year, one of which extended to Weshacomb, now Washacum. This road was laid out by the first settlers, and probably it followed an Indian trail. It was altered, and straightened, and staked out often during two generations.
The proprietors at the next meeting voted to pay Ebenezer Wilder " 733 acres of land in two peaces " for a debt, due him for " work done for the town in finishing a minister's house, it being £14, 14sh. and 3d.," or about fifty dollars for " 73} acres of land in two peaces."
There is no record of the annual town meeting in March, 1720-21, but a meeting was held on the twenty-second to choose officers, it " appearing that some persons voted in the former meeting who were not duly qualified to vote." This proves that there was a meeting at the regular time ; that some persons voted, by mistake or design, who had no right to the suffrage, and that the town considered the whole pro- ceedings vitiated. John Houghton was moderator and clerk. The selectmen were John Houghton, Jabez Fairbank, Josiah White, Capt. Ephraim Wilder and Ensign James Wilder. Assessors, James Wilder, John White and John Houghton, jr.
The same selectmen and clerk were elected next year. James Wilder was chosen treasurer. Henry Willard and Joseph Stowe were elected tythingmen.
In 1722 the proprietors laid out a road from Jonathan Mores to Hog Swamp, and several highways in the eastern section of the town, showing that there was an increasing
188
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
population in what soon constituted Harvard, Bolton and Berlin.
In March, 1722-23, the proprietors, at the request of Joseph Wheelock, laid out a road from his land to Pine hill. This road extended from Wheelock hill, now owned by Samuel R. Damon, northerly by the clay pits to the southwest end of Pine hill, and finally the whole length of the hill to the John White place, west of Still river bridge.
It was voted that Edward Hartwell should have a " piece of land that lieth between his land and Walnut Swamp lot." This Edward Hartwell was noted as a faithful officer in the Indian wars. "Walnut Swamp" was a long tract of land extending through the intervale, on the west side of the river, opposite the town hall, far up the hill beyond the old Stearns place, including many acres. It was formerly cover- ed with a magnificent growth of walnut trees.
The following is one of the yearly receipts given by the minister to the selectmen. " Feb'y 18th, 1723-4. Then reckoned with the selectmen for the town of Lancaster, and the subscriber has received the whole of his salary, till July 1st, 1723.
JOHN PRENTICE."
" Said receipt entered as above, being a true coppey, May 12th, 1724.
Per JOHN HOUGHTON, town clerk."
The selectmen this year were Joseph Wilder, Josiah White, Jonathan Houghton, Ebenezer Wilder and Samuel Carter. Jonathan Moore was moderator. John Houghton was chosen representative at a meeting held on the eleventh of May. This was the last town meeting recorded in the Proprietors' Book of Records.
Opening the first extant volume of separate town Records on the second page is found the account of the " prudentials " for the year 1723-4, as given in by the selectmen. By this it appears that Edward Broughton was paid £40 for keeping
189
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLMASTERS.
school. In the year 1724 he kept school one hundred and fifty days on the Neck, and seventy-five days at Still River.
Mr. Broughton had secured the good-will of the parents, in proof of which may be taken the following action, in 1723. " John Houghton, with Peter Joslin, sen., Ephraim Wilder, Jabez Fairbank, sen., Samuel Willard, James Wilder, Joseph Wilder, Samuel Carter, David Whitcomb, Oliver Wilder, Josiah White, sen., Ebr. Wilder, Thomas Wilder, Thomas Wilder and Joseph Sawyer, all of Lancaster, gents., in con- sideration of love and respect to Edward Broughton, our pres- ent school-master, and other weighty considerations moving us, the aforesaid John Houghton, cum cæteris, with the free will and consent of our married wives, [grant] 24 acres of land to be laid out to " the aforesaid Edward Broughton.
At a town meeting held on the seventh of March, 1725-6, it was voted " that 27 days shall be paid by ye town to Mr. Flagg for his keeping school in Lancaster before this day." Then voted that the selectmen should " provide a school- master for one quarter of a year."
The schools were sometimes lengthened by subscriptions. For example, in 1724 it was computed that in consequence of subscriptions to each school, the " schoolmaster ought to keep school at Stephens hill [where Mr. Royce now lives] 104 days ; and at Still River or Bare hill, 82 days; and at or on the Neck, 177 days," and a fraction of a day in each section.
At a meeting in May, the sum of fifty pounds was raised "to be laid out upon a school as ye town se cause." Then, voted that the money be divided to " each part of the town according to the pay belonging to each part."
The question came up whether the town would build an entire new meeting-house, and it was decided in the negative. This question was agitated several years, as the other ques- tion of dividing the town was mixed up with it. In the fol- lowing January, a meeting was held at which fifteen pounds were added to the salary of the minister. The town then con-
190
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
sidered whether they would build two meeting-houses. This proposition failed ; and the motion to build one new meeting- house met the same fate. A vote was then passed in favor of enlarging the existing house, and a committee was chosen to report a plan of enlarging the house. These men were the committee, viz. : Ensign Josiah White, Capt. Ephraim Wilder, Mr. Joseph Sawyer, Mr. Jonas Houghton, Lieut. James Wilder, Mr. James Keyes, and Mr. John Wright. In February another meeting was held when the committee re- ported in favor of making the house twenty feet longer, and fourteen feet wider, at an expense of three hundred pounds. This was voted down, and the plan of adding twenty feet to the length, at an expense of one hundred pounds prevailed. The matter was then put into the hands of Peter Joslin, Josiah Wheeler and Jabez Fairbank.
At the March meeting 1726-7, the usual officers were chosen, when Oliver Wilder, elected as one of the consta- bles, declined to serve. Then the moderator asked Wilder if he refused to pay the five pounds as the law directs, and Wilder said he did refuse. Ancient law compelled a man who refused an office to which he was elected to pay a fine.
A spirit of modesty seems to have infected the people, this year, if we may judge from the way in which many declined office. At a meeting dated March 28, 1727, Jabez Fairbank was chosen moderator, but refused to serve. Then Joseph Wilder, Joseph Hutchins and Ebenezer Wilder were chosen in succession, and all declined. Finally James Wilder ac- cepted the position. Fifty pounds were granted for schooling. Forty pounds were voted for the repair of highways. For the enlargement of the meeting-house forty pounds additional were appropriated ; at the same time propositions to make the house wider, and to build a new house were voted down.
The doings of a meeting held December 20, 1727, cast light on ancient customs. The town granted to Mrs. Prentice, the minister's wife, "the pew at the foot, or next to the pulpit stairs." Probably she chose this in preference to some other
191
NEW COUNTY.
pew, the enlargement of the house making a new seating ne- cessary. Then the town chose nine men to seat the enlarged house, as follows : Jacob Houghton, Joseph Osgood, Jona- than More, Hezekiah Willard, James Keyes, Jabez Fair- banks, Caleb Sawyer, Capt. Samuel Willard, and Lieut. James Wilder. These men were directed to "dignifie ye seats in ye meeting-house." Families were seated according to rank, and rank depended on several circumstances, such as family, property and office. Jealousies and heart-burn- ings were the usual result. It was voted at the same time, that "thirteen men be seated in a seat in the body of seats ;" ten men in a seat in the front gallery ; and twelve men in a seat in the side gallery. Then the town voted "that it be left to the said committee to seat aged persons as they shall think convenient and decent."
At a meeting in April, 1728, the salary of the minister was. raised to £100. The question was put whether the town would bring their part of the £60,000 of bills of credit, which was £471, 5sh. into town, and choose three trustees to fetch up the money. The motion was affirmed, and Jonathan Hough- ton, Thomas Carter and Samuel Willard were chosen trus- tees. The money was to be let out in sums not less than £10, and not more than £20 to any person. At an adjourn- ed meeting, fifty pounds were granted as a school rate for the year.
This year, 1728, witnessed the beginning of the agitation in regard to the formation of a new county, which finally re- sulted in the act authorizing the county of Worcester. At a meeting on the twenty-first of August, there was " discourse referring to a petition of Capt. William Generson, [probably Jennison] for a new county. The town voted that their rep- resentative be directed, in " case the superior court be holden at Marlborough, and two inferior courts be holden at Lancas- ter, annually, that then he further the proposal ; but in case the courts cannot be so stated, then to offer such objections. as the selectmen shall furnish him with."
192
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
The enlargement of the meeting-house finally cost £150, and at a meeting in August the remaining £10 were granted.
In February, 1728-9, a special meeting was called in ref- erence to a "new county in the westerly part of the county of Middlesex." The town was now in favor of the measure. The reasons are obscure, though it seems that a movement was made to break up Middlesex county, in part, by annex- ing several towns to Suffolk. James Wilder and Jonathan Houghton were chosen agents to act in behalf of the town.
At the meeting in May, the town voted £12, in addition to his wages, to Dea. Josiah White, representative. For schooling the vote was £50. In August action was taken for repairing the great bridge over the Penacook, by the Knight pasture.' In the following January, it was voted, that the selectmen " are hereby directed to take effectual care that Mr. Josiah White, the present representative, be supplied with thirty-six pounds out of the town treasury, to enable him in the discharge of his duty for this present year." The need of this extra pay is not given. The schoolmasters this year were Samuel Willard, Thomas Prentice, Mr. Briant, Jabez Fox and Jacob Willard, and the schools were on the Neck, at Wattoquadock, Bare hill and Still River.
There was a special meeting on the eighteenth of May 1730, when a petition for a new town was presented by the follow- ing persons, nearly, if not all residing on the territory now belonging to Harvard : John Sawyer, John Nichols, Hezekiah Willard, John Priest, jr., Stephen Houghton, Simon Ather- ton, Henry Houghton, jr., James Whetcomb, Isaiah Whitney, John Whitney, Robert Foskett, Jonathan Couch, John Wither- bey, Benjamin Atherton, Uriah Holt, Joseph Atherton, Josh- ua Church, Henry Willard, jr., Joseph Willard, Samuel Rogers, Seth Walker, Abraham Willard, Samuel Rogers, jr., John Willard and Jonathan Whitney. They wanted to take off a section about three miles wide, north and south, and the whole breadth of the old township, about eight miles east and west. The town opposed the project. The question
193
NEW TOWN.
was then put in another form, to see if the town would agree to "set off that part of the land mentioned in the warning lying on the east side of Penacook river." The vote was in the negative.
There was a long contest about adding to the minister's salary. First, the addition of £50 was voted down; then £30 were proposed and rejected. The motions for £25 and £20 met the same fate. Then several men, all of whom were among the petitioners for a new town, " entered their desent against giving any more money to the Rev. Mr. John Pren- tice." The end was secured, however, by a flank movement, and £30 out of the interest of the " Lone Money," or money loaned by the province, was voted. A school rate of fifty pounds was granted.
The attempt to form a new town was not abandoned by the petitioners, but the old town was not yet ready for the in- evitable event. It was natural for the inhabitants to cling to the ancient boundaries. Every excision would not only lessen the domain, but also the influence of the town in comparison with other towns. It was foreseen that the for- mation of one town from the territory of Lancaster, would lead the way to other amputations. Therefore a move was made to keep the whole together, by providing meeting-houses and ministers, as well as schools, in certain convenient lo- calities. At a meeting held, August 7, 1730, the question was put " whether the town would choose five men as a com- mittee in behalf of the town to take a survey of that part of the land petitioned for in Lancaster, and what distance the inhabitants of said lands live from the place of public wor- ship, and how far from the place that the petitioners have (as they inform us) concluded to set their meeting-house ; and also to find whether the petitioners be the major part of what is petitioned for both as to persons and estates ; and al- so to make some computation who owns the proprietie, and to give reasons on the whole, to the court, (in the town's be- half,) and it passed in the affirmative." Five men were chosen to carry out the vote.
13
194
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
The next move was to run the western boundary of the proposed town about a mile west of the river, and thus set off nearly all of the old district No. 1, with all to the east of the river, for a new town. This was met by a new proposition as follows : "that the town would keep together, and not join with any other town or towns, and that they would come in- to some way by a vote of the town, that there may be two meeting-houses built, and ministers settled, (sooner or later as the town shall think fit) ; where said meeting-houses shall be judged most suitable to accommodate the whole town; and that the town would pay the charge of building said meeting- houses, and settling and maintaining of the ministers equally out of the town treasury, or as the town shall think fit and convenient."
This question was in the warrant of a town meeting held November 23, and was, no doubt, freely discussed throughout the town, before the voters came together. No direct vote seems to have been taken on the suggestion, but a committee was chosen to oppose the petition for a new town before the general court.
At an adjourned meeting a week later, Jacob Houghton and others made a move which proved effectual. They de- sired that " the town would do something in order to their re- lease relating to building a meeting-house." In answer to this, it was voted that the " town are willing that the east part of the old township of Lancaster be set off and made a sepa- rate township, if the general court see cause." The condi- tion was, however, that the west line of the new town should run " parallel with the west line of the old township, at four miles distance therefrom." This brought the boundary near the river, where it was finally fixed, and remains to the pres- ent time. But at a meeting held, March 22, 1730-1, the southern line of the new town was fixed at five miles from the north line of the township. When Bolton was incorporated, about two miles of these five were joined to that town. The town of Harvard, made up of sections from Lancaster, Gro-
195
COUNTY OF WORCESTER.
ton and Stowe, was incorporated by the general court, June 29,1732.
At the same meeting, sixty pounds were granted for schools. The town also voted that " they will buy a book of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Willard's putting out, which book is an Explanation of the Catechism." The selectmen were to make " some provision for the keeping of it in the meeting-house for the town's use, so that any person may come there and read therein as often as they shall see cause ; and said book is not to be carried out of the meeting-house at any time, by any person, except by the order of the selectmen." The au- thor of this work was a son of Major Simon Willard, and was the minister of the Old South Church in Boston, many years, and vice-president,-acting president - of Harvard College from 1701 to 1707. He died in the latter year, but his " Com- pleet Body of Divinity" in ahuge folio of nine hundred pages, was not published till 1726. Rev. Joseph Willard, his great- grand-son, was president of the college from 1781 to 1804.
On the second of April, 1731, the general court erected the county of Worcester. The tradition is that Lancaster might have been the shire town of the new county, if Judge Jo- seph Wilder had given his consent. There were many reasons in favor of fixing the official center of the county in this place. It was the oldest, wealthiest and most populous town in the new county. At that time it was near the center of the towns already settled and about to be settled. Probably also if the center had been fixed in Lancaster, the towns in the north- west of Middlesex would have been added. If this had been made the shire town, the prosperity that has made Worcester the second city in the State, would have been the fortune of Lancaster. But the town missed its opportunity, and it never can be regained. The reasons given by Judge Wilder, as re- ported, were that shire towns were apt to be infested by gamblers, horse jockeys and drunkards, and that therefore the morals of a place would be sacrificed to its increase in numbers and wealth. The reasons were vain, though the
196
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
motive was good. It is proved by experience that the in- centives to education, morals and religion can be accumula- ted in great centers of population. The state of morals in the town and city of Worcester, in every generation, would com- pare favorably with that of the smaller towns in the county. We may regret the folly of the past, which has prevented the growth of this town, but the regrets will be vain, unless we are incited to seize every occasion by which its future prosperity may be promoted.
There is little mention made of the poor in the early Rec- ords. The presumption is that few or none were at the pub- lic charge. The town used its power to exclude vagabonds, and " tramps " were unknown. But in time, persons born on the soil, became reduced in circumstances, while their friends had died or moved elsewhere. These were provided for by the authorities of the town. In 1731 the " widow Caly or Cealy " had aid, and the selectmen were authorized to be at the expense of removing her to New Hadley. The name has crept into print as " Carly," on the supposition that she belonged to the Kerley or Carley family, but of this there is not sufficient proof. About this date, the town raised thirty pounds for the support of the poor.
In August, at a town meeting it was voted, "that Mr. James Wilder, (delegate in place of Josiah White, who de- clined to serve, ) their present representative, be directed to pay such a regard to his majesty's governor, as becomes the representative of a loyal people; and that he also use his utmost vigilance that no infringements be made on the royal prerogative ; nor on any of the privileges of the people, granted them by the royal charter, (by their late majesties king William and queen Mary, of blessed memory,) and espe- cially by supplying the treasury without appropriation unless of some small quantity that may be necessary to defray un- foreseen charges that may require prompt payment." This was a step in the long contest between the colony and the royal governor in regard to the regular salary of that official. Gov.
197
BOUNTIES FOR WOLVES AND WILD-CATS.
Burnet, in 1728, was instructed to insist on a fixed salary. The legislature, abiding by the charter, voted annually such a salary as he might seem to merit. The governor intimated that parliament might be applied to, and that the charter would thus be imperilled. Then the general court appealed to the towns, and the response was in support of their representa- tives. The court resolved that "it is better that the liberties of the people should be taken from them, than given up by themselves." The towns echoed back the sturdy resolution. The response of Lancaster was in full accord. By the death of Burnet, in 1731, the contest was left to Gov. Belcher ; but he, willing to avoid the controversy, obtained leave from home to accept the annual grants, and thus the colony was pacified by success.
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.