USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 27
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The ordination took place at the appointed time. The or- der of the services will find the appropriate place in the next chapter. Two or three items, however, remain to make the narrative complete. The committee to confer with Mr. Thayer on the " time and modes of payment of his settlement and salary," made a report which was adopted, as follows : "that
342
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
one hundred pounds be paid to the Rev. Nathaniel Thayer, in one year from the day of his ordination, without interest ; and that an obligation be given him for the payment of the other hundred pounds of his settlement, payable in two years from the day of his ordination, with interest from that day till paid." The annual salary was to be paid half-yearly, on the first of March and September. This action was on the twenty-first of October, when the town voted to raise two hundred pounds for the settlement, " agreeably to the report of the committee."
The committee of entertainment presented their account of expenses at the ordination, amounting to nearly £57, or about one hundred and ninety dollars, and the amount was "immediately assessed for the purpose of discharging the ac- count of the committee." Then voted that the thanks of the town be " presented to Messrs. Joseph Wales, Oliver Carter and Eli Stearns for their timely and useful exertions in pre- paring suitable provision, etc., for the ordaining council, and for the polite manner in which they conducted the business of attending upon them ; and that their freely rendering this ser- vice be recorded in grateful remembrance of their generosity."
It was voted, unanimously, to request a copy of the Ser- mon, Charge and Right Hand of Fellowship, for the press, and Messrs. Ebenezer Torrey, Timothy Whiting, jr., and Is- rael Atherton were chosen a committee to procure those pro- ductions. The sermon and other parts were to be printed by subscription, and the town treasurer was directed to subscribe for one hundred copies, for the use of the town, to be dis- posed of as follows, viz. "Twenty copies for the Rev. Na- thaniel Thayer; twelve for the Rev. David Osgood ; six for the president of the university at Cambridge ; sixteen, being one for each of the Rev. clergy who assisted at the council at the ordination ; and forty-six to be distributed among such heads of families belonging to the church and congregation as shall choose to receive them gratis."
343
MONUMENT TO MR. HARRINGTON.
The dogs of the town seem to have become demoralized towards the end of the century, necessitating the following action, on the thirteenth of August, 1794. "It being the in- dispensable duty of every citizen to promote good order and decorum in time of public worship, on the Lord's day, and there having been frequent disturbances in and about the meet- ing-house at those times, voted that the inhabitants be earn- estly requested to confine their dogs at home, in future, on Sundays, in order to prevent like disturbances ; and that the town may not be under the disagreeable necessity of adopt- ing some other method to remedy so great an inconvenience."
November 3, those persons who usually " made use of the pillows in the meeting-house to hang their hats on" were re- quested to find some other place for them. At the same time the selectmen were directed to open a passage-way in front of the pews on the side galleries, and to assign seats there for the people of color.
The Rev. Timothy Harrington died on the eighteenth of December, 1795. His salary had been paid as usual, while he lived, and the town, at an adjournment of the March meeting, held on the fourth day of April, 1796, voted to appropriate one hundred and four dollars and fifty-six cents for the " pay- ment of the funeral expenses of our late Rev. Pastor, Tim- othy Harrington, deceased, and other incidental charges."
At a meeting in April, 1797, Rev. Nathaniel Thayer, John Sprague and John Whiting were chosen a committee to " erect suitable gravestones in memory of Mr. Harrington, with such inscriptions thereon as should be proper for the subject." The gravestones cost sixteen dollars. The inscription will be found in the Notes on the Old Burying Yard.
An order for clearing and cutting the brush in the bury- ing-ground, amounted to two dollars and a quarter. It is not specified whether the Old Yard or the Old Common Yard was meant. Subsequently, 1799, the matter of appointing a sex- ton or sextons to take care of the burying-places, was refer- red to the selectmen, who were authorized to carry it into effect.
344
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
The record of the town, in its capacity as a parish, will be creditably closed, for the last century, by the following ac- tion, taken, April 3, 1797, on a report made by Daniel Rugg, Ephraim Carter, John Sprague, John Whiting and Eli Stearns. " The committee to whom was referred the article relative to singing, beg leave to report that it will be expedient for the encouragement and promotion of knowledge in that part of religious worship, a sum be granted and assessed with the minister's tax of seventy-five dollars for the support of a sing- ing-school." The report was accepted, and the money raised.
The setting up of Sterling having been effected, a few points remained to be adjusted between the mother and daugh- ter. May 19, 1781, the town clerk and selectmen were ap- pointed a committee to " recover the town of Lancaster's books from Sterling." Committees were chosen to perambulate the line of division, and also to divide the town stock and ar- range about the division of the poor who received town sup- port. Probably the wishes of these objects of bounty were regarded, by placing them in the towns to which they belonged by birth or residence.
A project was before the town, at different times, to unite with some of the neighboring towns, in establishing a work- house and almshouse in common, but it does not appear that any permanent plan was ever adopted.
All matters of dispute between Lancaster and Sterling were finally adjusted, by the following agreement, bearing date No- vember 1, 1784. " We the subscribers, selectmen of the towns of Lancaster and Sterling have this day reckoned and settled, and received in full for all accounts against said towns, and have agreed that all the accounts which shall be brought against said towns, shall be paid by the towns they originated from ; and have divided all town stock, and poor of said town, agreeable to the act of the general court for the division of said towns, called the incorporating act. In witness whereof we have set our hands." Signed by Nathaniel Beaman, Jona. Wilder, Jonas Fairbank, jr., for Lancaster ; and Israel Moore, Benj. Richardson, and Josiah Kendall, jr., for Sterling.
345
CARE FOR THE POOR.
Subsequently it was agreed that the line between the towns should be according as those living on the border were taxed.
This accounts for the jagged and unsightly look of the map, made by running the line, zigzag, round farms which lay on either side of a straight line. Such folly has not since been allowed to disfigure any other part of the town's lines.
As stated already, the town had before it the question, how to support those who were unable to support themselves ; and in this connection, was the other question, what should be done with the idle and dissolute, who would not support themselves, nor their children. For many years there was neither almshouse nor workhouse. The vicious, when their presence could be endured no longer, were warned out of town, if they had no legal residence here ; or were handed over to the county jailer.
The poor were kindly treated. Sometimes aid was rend- ered to families. There is the record of a woman receiving aid from the town for taking care of her husband. Like cases when one relative cared for another, are found. Some were boarded at the expense of the town, in families which would receive them. They were expected to work on the farm or in the house, so far as they were able. This diminished the cost to the town. The children of such parents were to be sent to school according to the requirements of the law. It was the duty of the town authorities to take the place of parents towards children whose natural guardians were un- able or unwilling to take good care of them. They were bound out to farmers or mechanics, and so trained to habits of in- dustry and thrift. The men who took them into their service, were under bonds to feed and clothe them, and to give them training in business, as well as a fixed time to attend school. Towards the close of the century, there appears to have been an unusual number of children needing the guardianship of the fathers of the town. It is believed that the town has an hon- orable record in regard to its treatment of her unfortunate children.
346
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
In 1791 the selectmen put an ancient law into working or- der, by instructing the constables to warn out of town certain specified persons. The edict was issued several times between January and April, and more than a hundred persons, male and female, with their children, and all under their care, were ordered to depart. The warning reached high and low alike. Jacob Fisher, Michael Newhall and Eli Stearns, were in the number. An extract from the Records, March 11, 1791, will illustrate a curious phase of life in preceding generations. The mandate is to the constables, in the words following. " You are directed to warn and give notice unto the Hon. John Sprague, late of Rochester, in the county of Plymouth, Esq., and sheriff of the county of Worcester, John Maynard, late of Framingham, in the county of Middlesex, Esq., Edmund Heard, late of Worcester, in the county of Worcester, Esq., Ebenezer Torrey, late of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, gentleman, William Stedman, late of Cambridge, in the coun- ty of Middlesex, Esq., Merrick Rice, late of Brookfield, in the county of Worcester, gentleman, and Joseph Wales, late of Braintree, in the county of Suffolk, gentleman, who have late- ly come into this town for the purpose of abiding therein, not having obtained the town's consent therfor, that they respec- tively depart the limits thereof, with their children and all un- der their care within fifteen days."
Judge Sprague had been in the town about twenty years, and had already represented the town in the general court not less than four years. The others were frequently in responsible offices. How then can we account for this apparent freak, and make that seem reasonable which appears absurd? It was the law that no one could gain a residence without the consent of the town, and when persons moved in whose pres- ence was not desirable, they were warned to depart. In the case of new comers who were welcome, nothing was done, and in process of time, perhaps half the people of a town would be in the category of those who were liable to be warned off. It is conjectured that about the date above named, a
347
LEGAL DOMICILE.
number of people came hither, who for various reasons, were not wanted, and that in warning them to depart, strict im- partiality was used towards all who had not obtained the town's consent to set up their homes in Lancaster. The warning having been given, those whose presence was desired, could easily get permission, while the others would be obliged to return to their legal domicile, or " seek fresh fields and pas- tures new." Fortunately for them the commonwealth was large enough to give every man a home.
Seven years later, there was an article in the warrant, May 2, 1798, to inquire in what manner citizens of the town who were not lawfully settled herein, might become so; and the sub- ject was referred to a committee of three, viz., John Sprague, William Stedman, and Timothy Whiting, jr. The result came out in this form at an adjourned meeting : "that the subject of that article be referred to the assessors, they to communicate with the committee thereupon, and receive from them the results of their inquiries, and thereafter to act their discretion relating thereto."
During the revolutionary war, nothing was done in relation to the education of the young besides keeping the schools as usual. No changes by way of improvement, and no addition to the annual appropriation could be expected in such a time. At the annual meeting, 1780, the town voted to raise the sum of £8,000 for schooling. Nothing was done in regard to the grammar school, but probably it was continued. The grant was in the depreciated currency, and perhaps was equal to $270.00.
The next year Sterling was set off, with about half of the territory, and nearly that proportion of the children of school age. But the appropriation for schools was made before the division. The sum raised for schools was eight thousand pounds, when the " price of a man's labor " was fixed at twelve pounds a day in summer, and nine pounds in winter. The method of keeping the grammar school was not changed.
348
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
At the annual meeting in 1782, eighty pounds were raised to " be schooled out in squadrons as formerly." This was the sum granted in years before by the undivided town. The word " squadron " as applied to divisions of the town for school pur- poses, seems to have come into general use about the time of the revolution. This year the price of a man's labor was three shillings to the last of September ; and two shillings for the remainder of the year. The next two years the same sum was applied to schooling. The currency was greatly improved.
But in 1785, a step was taken in advance. The sum de- voted to schools was £100, and a committee was chosen to "inquire into the condition of the several school squadrons, and make a new regulation so that there may be a squadron or squadrons so large, nearly in the center of the town, as will be sufficient to maintain a grammar school through the year." Gershom Flagg with the Assessors, who were Nathan- iel Beaman, Ephraim Carter, jr., Timothy Whiting, jr. and Moses Smith constituted the committee. They reported to the adjourned meeting, April 4, when the town voted that George Hill squadron and the Neck squadrons [there were two] should keep the grammar school that year, and that nine pounds additional should be raised for schooling, the said squadrons to have the benefit thereof. This included the whole of the Neck; on the east and west roads, South Lancaster and George hill ; in short, a large majority of the town and prob- ably a still larger proportion of taxable property.
The town at the same time authorized the purchase of " the back part of Mr. Sprague's house for a workhouse," on the ground doubtless, that the idle and vagrant needed some whole- some discipline. Probably nothing was done in regard to the workhouse, as the matter came up the next year, in another shape.
The annual meeting in 1786, took action in regard to schools similar to that of the year before. The question came up as to what measures the town would take " with divers idle, dis- solute and disorderly persons and poor families " who had
349
TOWN GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
come into the town, but had not " gained an inhabitancy there- in." The town also considered the best measures for provid- ing for the " support and education of the children of poor and improvident parents, * and for preventing the bane- ful influence of indolence and intemperance " that too much prevailed. Another article for consideration related to uniting with the towns of Harvard and Bolton in building a work- house.
Votes were passed in favor of the joint workhouse, and removing the idle and dissolute who had not gained a resi- dence. With regard to the neglected children, the following important action was taken. The selectmen were directed to attend immediately to the circumstances of the poor families in the town who were likely to become chargeable, and to bind or put out to good masters, or into good families, all children which by law they were impowered to put out, to the end that the " rising generation in this town might not be brought up in idleness, ignorance and vice."
The joint workhouse project failed of concurrence.
The appropriation and division of the school money con- tinued the same in the two succeeding years, with the follow- ing important modifications which were presented and approv- ed, May 12, 1788.
" Proposals for a grammar town school. On condition the town will vote to any squadron in town twelve pounds to sup- port a grammar school for the space of one year, and also vote that the subscribers may be a squadron in town, and draw their own money as other squadrons do, the subscribers do engage to become a squadron agreeable to such vote, and to support such school for that term on the following plan. 1. Arithmetic, Grammar and other Arts beneficial to the rising generation, shall be taught in said school. 2. No scholar shall be admitted into said school who cannot read the Psalter well without spelling. 3. The school shall be quarterly visited and inspected by a committee of five persons, whereof the minis- ter of the town for the time being shall be Chairman. Two
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
of the four shall be chosen by the town, and two by the squad- ron. 4. The town may at any time vote minors into the school, whose parents are unable to educate them there, paying their proportion for cach scholar so voted in, and by a committee vote in school affairs, on equal principles with subscribers, and be considered as part of the squadron while they have one or more scholars in the school. 5. And whereas the money which the said squadron may draw as their proportion of the school money granted by the town, may not be sufficient to defray the charges of the school, and the remainder must be other- wise raised, 'tis therefore provided that any person may send one scholar, paying their proportion of the money so other- wise raised, and to be averaged by the number of scholars in said school, such scholars being entered for one year at least, and no person not being of the squadron, shall send more than one when the number of scholars shall amount to thirty. 6. The squadron shall have the sole direction of the school so far as is consistent with the foregoing plan." The subscribers to the school were John Sprague, William Greenleaf, William Locke, John Ballard, Michael Newhall, Jonas Wyman, Nathan- iel Willard, Edmund Heard, Moses Smith, Josiah Wilder, Samuel Ward, Israel Atherton and Peter Thurston. The
town voted the conditional twelve pounds for one year.
The same arrangement was continued in the year following. It was in this year that the general court enacted the law au- thorizing towns to divide themselves into districts for school purposes, which Mr. Mann considered the " most unfortunate law ever enacted in the state " in relation to the schools. The town immediately acted under the law, and on the tenth of May, 1789, formed several squadrons or districts. One was called the northern squadron, and was " formed of the follow- ing persons and estates," and the school-house was placed at the " cross of the roads south of William Hosley's," now Joseph Farwell's. The names of Willard and Farwell are still com- mon in that section of the town. The Whites, whose head-
1
351
SCHOOL SQUADRONS.
quarters were at the fork of the roads west of Still river bridge, have no representative in the neighborhood.
Samuel Sanderson,
Paul Willard,
John Willard,
John White,
Oliver Tenney,
Leonard Farwell,
Jona. Tenney,
Abner Whitney,
Samuel Stevens,
Peter Tenney,
Jona. Willard,
William Willard, jr.,
John White, jr.,
Simon Willard,
Frank Davis,
Benjamin W. Willard,
Jonathan White,
Jotham Woods,
Abijah White,
Nathaniel Willard, jr.,
William Hosley,
John White, 3d.
William Willard,
Another squadron, with a school-house at Col. Henry Has- kell's, north of the Brick tavern, was formed of the following persons and their estates.
Henry Haskell,
John Richards,
Timothy Barret, Jere Pratt,
Daniel Knight,
Peter Sticney,
Joseph Farwell,
William Deputron,
Peter Atherton,
Peter Willard,
Ebenezer Pratt, jr.,
John Campbell,
Daniel Willard,
Benjamin Priest,
Jona. Stone,
Joseph Priest,
Solomon Goodfry,
Jacob Zwear,
Lemuel Barret, Israel Butler,
Asa Wyman.
To the squadron of Edward Robbins in the northwest part of the town, the following persons were added : Daniel Rugg, Manassah Knight, Jacob Kilbourn, Daniel Johnson, Widow Knight and Samuel Rugg.
On the seventh of June, 1790, the town accepted the re- port of a committee, which provided for the building of a " Latin grammar school " near the house of Rev. Mr. Harring- ton, and raised one hundred pounds for the support of the English grammar school, to be divided among the several school squadrons upon the same principle as before, with the exception that an appropriation of fifteen pounds should be
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
annually deducted from the two center squadrons, viz., the Neck and George hill, so called, which sum was to be used in support of the Latin grammar school, provided such a school should be kept in a school-house situated in the most conven- ient central spot in the town.
The "most central spot " was not considered, on reflection, to be near Mr. Harrington's, whose house was in front of the residence of Mr. Thayer; and therefore, the town, on the fourth of October, voted to place the Latin grammar school- house on the " common land south side of the road opposite Gen. Greenleaf's garden." Gen. Greenleaf lived in the Man- sion house, so called, and the school-house was placed near the house of Daniel Stowell. From this it appears that the town owned " common land " in the vicinity of Mr. Stowell's and the railroad station. The school-house stood there, and there many children received a good education, during two generations. The house was moved to the Old Common, and thence to South Lancaster.
The plan of the house reported by the committee did not suit the town, whereupon another committee was chosen who immediately reported that the house should be " 28 feet long and 22 feet in breadth, with 12 feet posts, with nine windows, 24 squairs of glass each, and a porch in front 10 feet by 7, with two windows 12 squairs each, two chimneys, one at each end of said house, and to be seated within as the committee for building said house shall direct." Deacon Cyrus Fairbank, Capt. John Maynard and Mr. Jonas Lane were chosen a build- ing committee.
In 1791, the town raised one hundred and forty-seven pounds for schools, and appropriated the money as in the year preced- ing. Efforts were made to satisfy the minds of the people in regard to the division of the money, and the support of the Latin grammar school, but nothing permanent was effected.
The appropriation, the next year was one hundred and fifty pounds, and the money was divided according to the follow- ing plan, by which it appears that the town was now arranged
353
SCHOOL SQUADRONS.
is thirteen squadrons. The committee to whom the matter was referred, found that it would be impracticable at that time to alter the bounds of the squadrons so as to make an equi- table division of the money, and gave their opinion that the " several squadrons as they then stood " ought to draw their several parts of one hundred pounds which might be raised for the support of the English grammar schools in the follow- ing proportions, viz.
Neck, [present Center ] . £15- 3- 9 ·
George hill, .
14-19-10
Old Common, 5-10- 0 .
William Willard, [north east] 7- 4- 5
Simon Willard, [old No. 3, east side]
2- 1- 1
James Goodwin, [Lunenburg road]
6- 7- 9
Henry Haskell, [Shirley road]
4-16- 8
Ebenezer Allen, [New Boston]
7- 1- 0
Cyrus Fairbank, [Deers Horns]
8-10- 0
8-13- 2
Aaron Lyon, [No. 3, west side] Walnut swamp, [Ballard Hill]
14- 0- 0
William Tooker, [Clinton ]
3- 1-10
Stephen Wilder, .
2- 9- 8
£100-0-0
" And should the town appropriate one hundred and fifty pounds for schooling, that fifty pounds of the same be appro- priated for the support of the Latin grammar school in the same way and manner as in the last year." The committee were John Sprague, Israel Atherton, William Stedman, Tim- othy Whiting, jr., Samuel Ward. The idea does not seem as yet to have dawned on the town that all the children should have equal opportunities for education, but only according to the taxes of their parents or guardians.
At an adjournment of the annual meeting in 1793, held April 1, much business was done in relation to schools. First, one hundred pounds, lawful money, were appropriated for the
23
354
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
support of the English grammar, and sixty-five pounds for the Latin grammar schools, to be applied as in the last year. The following men were chosen to " inspect the schools " : John Sprague, William Stedman, Israel Atherton, Esq. This is the first record of a visiting committee. It had always been the duty of the minister, but Mr. Harrington was now too infirm to do the service.
Next a committee of six,-John Sprague, William Sted- man, Israel Atherton, Timothy Whiting, jr., esquires, Capt. Samuel Ward and Mr. Benjamin W. Willard-was chosen to "report a uniform method to be observed by the school-masters in town for teaching schools in future." Then a committee of three was raised " for hiring a Latin grammar school-master" for the year ensuing. Ebenezer Torrey, Timothy Whiting, jr., and Eli Stearns were charged with this duty.
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