USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 57
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724
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
leges of industry, education, liberty and religion. This is " their own, their native land," and as they advance to man- hood, they may be relied upon to defend it against all foreign foes.
SOUTH LANCASTER.
In walking about town we will come first to the Prescott place, because this was the home and place of business of the first permanent settler. This point should be fixed, as there is some confusion about it even in the minds of those who are somewhat familiar with our early history. After John Prescott bought out the " trucking-house" business of Mr. King, the Watertown trader, he put up a store some- where near the corner of Mrs. Ware's yard in South Lan- caster. . Where was the precise spot? On the supposition that the north and south road was then located as it now runs, some take it for granted that the store was either on the cor- ner of the lot of Mrs. Ware, or across the road, near the corner of the lawn of Mrs. Fay. But the first road was west of the house of Mrs. Ware, and west of the ravine behind her house. According to Willard, the store was a " few rods northwest" of the house. This would place it about half way from Mrs. Ware's house to the house occupied by Will- iam A. Kilbourn. It was at the corner made by the road running northwest from Mrs. Ware's, intersecting the road extending towards the Center. The last road ran along the west side of the ravine some forty rods, then descended the hill, crossed the ravine, and ascended near the house of Al- fred Heald. In a winding way it passed the " minister's gar- rison," and reached the river about twenty rods up the stream, northwest of the Sprague bridge. It is not easy to locate Prescott's house, but there is reason to believe that it stood on the east side of the ravine, because we know that he lived east of the road. He owned the lot on the west as well as on the east side of the road, but that on the west was soon sold to another man. His own home was on the east range of lots,
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THE HELIOTYPE PRINTING CO. 220 DEVONSHIRE ST. BOSTON
45
MAP OF THE CEN- TER.
[See page 747.]
1 G. A. Johnson. 2 Henry Wilder, H. S Nourse. 3 Goodman Hall, Richard Smith, John Tinker, Major S. Wil- lard, Cyp'n Stevens, Philip Goss, Simon Stevens, Col. S. Willard, Col. A. Willard, Samuel Willard, Mrs. Ann Good- hue,
Henry Wilder, Ephraim Avery, Sewell Day
4 Mrs. D. Weld, Henry A Bliss. 5 Chas. L. Wilder. 6 R. Houghton, Abel Wilder, Mr. Whitwell, Eben Torrey, D. Whitman, Mr. Moffat
7 Daniel Waldo, Moses Carleton, Dr. Baker, H. Prescott, L. A. Seymour, D'1 Bemis, Esq.
8 Jona. Whitney, Eph. Whitney, F. Nourse, Hor'e Faulkner, Ephraim Avery. 9 John Davidson, Asa Bee.
10 Jonas Whitney, Rev. Jonathan E. Edwards, Gco. W. Frost, Nicholas Frost. 11 Mrs. Walton, Rev. F. B. Doe, H. Krüsi, Mrs. P. Childs, Rufus Childs. 12 John White. 13 John White, Joseph White, John White, Sam. F. White, Peter Osgood, David Osgood, E Houghton. 14 Nath'l Wyman, Benj. Wyman, Chas. Wyman, Mrs. N. Wyman, B. F. Wyman. 15 Tenants.
16 John White, John Taylor, Samuel Jones, Jona. Hildreth, Jona. Locke, Mr. Cornet, Wm. Thompson, N. C. Hawkins. 17 Site of malt house.
18 Site of O. Hunt, Abel White, Benj. Rice.
19 Eli Stearns, Mr. Kidder, A. Barnes, Jonas Wheeler, Henry Howard, Sam. R. Damon. 20 Wm. Chandler. 21 Patrick Glynn. 22 Mrs. J. Haskell, Miss R. Haskell, J. Farnsworth .. 23 Phelps' tavern, Wm. Phelps, Gard'r Phelps.
24 J. White. 25 Jonas Lane, David Osgood, Tenants. 26 Site of ancient house, Brick-kiln.
27 Brick yard.
28 Old toll-house, Paul Whiting, Alvinza Lane, John Glynn, Levi Ball.
29 Mr. Carter, Mrs. Gay, Mr. Lancey.
30 Mr. Phelps, Rob. Townsend, W. Townsend, Mr. Giles, Oliver Carter, John Lyon, Emery White.
31 Pliny Newell, Anthony Lane, Thos. Gates, Mrs. Mattoon.
32 Old Beman place, Jos. Beman, Widow Aaron Phelps , Elijah Coburn, Wm. S. Locke. 33 Joel Phelps, S. Phelps, Somes White, David Barton, Seth French, A. J. Farns- worth, Mrs. Adams, S. Houghton.
34 Sam'l Barrett, Abijah White, Widow Maquil- lan,
Edward Wilcox, Mrs. S.Cogswell. 35 George Phelps, John Horsley, John Richards, Jno. R. Wyman. 36 Site of cabinet factories. 37 S. R. Damon's tenants.
38 Beman place, Charles Safford. 39 Old Phelps place, Wm. Phelps, Abijah Phelps, Edw'd Phelps, Wm. Phelps, Jacob Phelps. 40 J. Hawkes, jr., P. Houghton, B. Farnsworth. 41 Widow John Hawkes. B. Farnsworth.
42 Silas Willard, Joseph Upton, Carl Seleger, John Wiley, A. C. Putnam. 43 Aaron Phelps, Seth Sargent, W. Townsend, Isaac Childs, A. I. Stone. 44 Site of Phelps' place, Eben. C. Mann.
45 Dr. J. Hawkes, B. Farnsworth, sr.,
Miss D. Farns- worth, Miss. L. Farns- worth, 46 Wm. Damon, John Hyde the hatter, Sylv'r Phelps,
46 John Lyon, John Brooks. N. Wyman.
49 Jeremiah Lyon, Jas. Chandler. 50 Chas. A. Chick- ering, Mrs. M. Woods, Mrs. Carter.
51 Henry C. Shaw,
52 John Waters, Mrs. E. Patrick, Rev. S. C. Ken- dall, James Russell. 53 Mrs. Edes, Joel Wilder.
54 Ed. Hayes.
55 Wm. Russell, Mrs. Russell. 56 Luke Bigelow, Mrs. Bragg.
57 Arba Estey.
58 Palm leaf shop, Mrs Trow-
bridge,
Mrs. Whitney.
59 Ezra Sawyer, Joel Wilder, J. Farnsworth, Jonas Wheeler, F. H. Thomp- son, M.D., Chas. J. Wilder, 60 Deacon Wales' store,
Grammar school house, C. Carter, M.D., Dan'l Stowell.
61 Elias Danforth, Miss Eliza Dan- forth.
62 Aaron Mose- man,
Horatio Bailey. 63 F. Andrews, Matt. Woods, Wm. Holder. 64 Joseph Breck, J. Huntington, C. T. Symmes. 65 Hon. John Sprague, Peter T. Vose, S. J. S. Vose, Rev. Alfred Em- erson,
Cephas Rugg.
66 Elias Danforth, John A. Shaw, George Dodge, Jos. C. Stevens, A. E. Royce. 67 Mrs. A. Lane. 68 J. L. S. Thomp- son, M.D. 69 Aaron Willard, Levi Willard, Gen. Greenleaf, Dr. Greenleaf, Hon. Wm. Sted- man,
Tim. H. Carter, Mrs Southwick, Rev. M. C. Steb- bins, William A. Kil- bourn,
Mrs. John G. Thurston, A.D. Edgecomb, M.D., A. E. Vinal.
70 P. McLoughlin. 71 Old Bruce house, R. Cummings, M.D., Frank Nullet.
72 Miss M. Whit- ney, Miss Angelina Farnsworth. 73 Ancient house,
73 Rev. N. Thayer, M. Smith, Esq., Benj. F. Tidd, M. Carleton, Mrs. Carleton.
74 Ezra Sawyer, Lymnan Moore, Jos. Whitney, Mrs. Whitney.
75 Brick Academy. 76 Town Hall.
77 Memorial Hall. 78 Old Whitcomb house,
G. R. M. Whit- ington, Esq., Mrs. Gordon, C. A. Chicker- ing.
79 Pocket book
shop, G. A. Johnson, Atkins & Dut- ton,
Tyler Bigelow, Asa N. Smith.
80 Charles Cobb, S. Whiting, Esq. Rev. W. DeLoss Love, jr.,
81 H. Barrett, Mrs. Bradley, Miss Levantia Bradley,
J. D. Butler, LeRoy Z. Col- lins. 82 Henry C. Brown. 83 Solon Wilder.
84 Col. J. Wilson, Solon W. John- son,
Almon D. Gibbs, H. Barrett.
85 George Carter, Rev. L. R. Paige, Henry Lincoln, M.D.,
Mrs. Lincoln,
Mrs. Eliza Dana, Mrs. Almira Hyde.
86 Hotel Lancas- ter,
Mr. Elder, Nath'l Rand, Mr. Pierce, Jos. Maynard, George Fitch, Mr. Heyward, Ira Thompson, Jer. Moore,
Elisha Taft,
Henry B. Gow- ing, owner. 87 Club house, for- merly a print- ing office down the lane ; used as stu- dents' board- ing-house,
Tenants,
Sam'l A. Burns, Fred. Z. Farns- worth, E. J. Forbush.
88 Miss Deborah Stearns, Chas.A. Lyman, Miss Lucy Puf- fer.
89 Blacksmith shop.
90 L. M. Harvey, John Eagan, 91 Henry C. Shaw, Jas. McLough- lin.
92 Thos. Durwin, 93 Fardy Dolphin. 94 Michael Connor. 95 J. Windett, jr., Eben. Bragg, Henry Hosley. 96 John Marrah. .
97 Tenants,
Wm. Taylor, Wm. Nowell, James Watson. 98 John Daniels, 99 Samuel A. Hast- ings,
Nazarene Houghton. Jer. Mitchell. 100 Michael Eagan. 101 Eli Stearn's old carpenter shop; John R. Wyman's house and beer shop; Chas. Cobb's
pocket book shop; Joseph Putney's dwelling.
102 Chas. Wyman, W. D. Whitney, Jonas M. Da- mon. 103 John Tracey. 104 Wm. N. Brown, James Nourse.
105 Mrs. Peggy Mitchell, Mich'l Murray.
106 Mr. Briggs, G. W. Matthews, 107 James Watson.
108 Aug. Thorning, Mrs. Latan.
109 James McEvoy. 110 Martin Kelley, Martin Lynch.
111 Jer. Moore,
Jonas Wheeler, Jos. Fletcher. 112 Lemuel D. Saw- yer,
Daniel Haverty, Widow Savage, Rev. A. E. Law- rence, Mrs. P. B. Edes, 113 Samuel A. Hast- ings,
Tenants,
George A. John- son,
E. Carter Fisher 114 Brick store, Miss S. Brown,
115 Josiah Bridge and Charles Bridge, house and store,
Tenants, Natlı. Rand, Mrs. Rand, Jer. Moore.
116 Wm. Parks, Isaialı Moore, Mr. Bennett, Chris. Pollard, Jno. W. Barnes,
117 G. K. Richards, Mrs. Sally Mal- lard, Miss Hannah
Mallard.
118 Many tenants, John Harford, Frank Hadley.
119 Dr. J. L. S. Thompson's Drug store.
120 Old store, Post office.
121 J. W. Hunting- ton, Esq., Mrs. Hunting- ton. 122 Moses Smith,
Esq., Rev. Asa Pack- ard,
Rev. Charles Packard, Samuel True, Jacob Fisher,
122 Mrs. Fisher. 123 Lancaster bank. 124 John Albee. 125 Wilder S.Thurs- toll, G. Cummings, Dr. H. C. Ken- drick. 126 Merrick Rice, Esq., Gayton Pick- man, Jas. G. Carter, Peter T. Homer, Solomon Carter, Rev. G. M. Bar- tol, Dr. H. C. Ken- drick,
Rev. George R. Leavitt,
Mrs. E. M. Greene. 127 Rev. A. P. Mar- vin. 128 Rev. Amos E. Lawrence, Rev. George M. Bartol.
129 Moses Carleton, Henry Swift, Capt. Spalding, Capt. E. Greene, Mrs. E. M. Greene, Frank Brock- way,
Frank P. Breed, Green-house.
130 Peter Green, Mr. Wrifford, Moses Peasley, Gilman B. Par- ker.
131 Benj. Foster, Many occu - pants, Rebuilt in 1871, by Wright S. Keyes. 132 Mrs. Solomon Carter, Tenants. 133 John Lyon, Capt. Obed Pul- sifer, Jno. A. Haskell, Tailor shop, 20 or 30 hands, Mrs. Gwynn, Joshua A. Lane. 134 John G. Chand- ler.
135 Mrs. L. Whitney. 136 Old Joslyn place,
Joslyns in suc- cession, Capt. Hussey, W.J. Whittaker, W. L. Ward, Wm. H. McNeil. 137 Old Tavern, The Popkin house, Mr. Popkin, Sam'l Manning, M.D., Nath. Peabody, M.D. 138 Old Joslyn place, Joslyn descend- ants, Jacob Sweetzer, Mrs. Sweetzer, Thos. B. Warren, Fred. H. Joli- SO11.
SOUTH LANCASTER.
[See page 724.]
1 Hooker Osgood.
2 Nath. Thayer.
3. Rev. T. Harring- ton, Rev. Dr. N. Thayer. 4 Joshua Fletcher, Chas. T. Fletcher. 5 John Goodwin, Esq., Eben Sawyer, Luke Bigelow.
6 Luke Rugg, John Deane, Jas. Chandler, Tenants,
Chas. H. Wilder Alfred Heald.
7 Joseph Sprague, Green-houses.
8 Chas. H. Arnold, Joseph Scully, Geo. Michie.
9 W. H. Newman, Henry Miller, Mrs. G. Howard, Walter H. Gośs, Thomas Hickey.
10'G. Newman, Mrs. L. Newman, W. H. Newman, Henry Haskins.
11 Col. F. B. Fay, Mrs. Fay.
12 Rev. J. Whiting, Rev. A. Gardner, Garrison house, Levi Willard, Mrs. Willard, Tim. Fletcher.
13 Samuel Ward, Nath. Chandler, Mrs. M. G. Ware. 14 Site of Prescott's shop,
15 Rev. E. H. Sears, Geo. A. Tower, Professor S. H. Tenney, G. F. Chandler. Green-house. 16 Old tavern, Samuel Locke, Mrs. Andrews, Torrey Fitch, Joseph Leach, Jas. Wise, Win. Reed, New house, Lucius Farwell, Wm. A. Kilbourn.
17 Josiah Flagg, Samuel Flagg, J. G. Thurston, John A. Rice. 18 Store of D. K. Wilder, Eliphas Ballard, Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. J. Wilder, Wm. G. Wilder. 19 Captain Wild, Joseph Bowers, Benjamin Holt, Mrs. Trowbridge, Daniel Goss.
20 F. Plummer, George Fitch, Mrs. S. W. Fitch.
21 Charles Sawyer, Rev. Dr. C. Rob- bins, Wm. G. Wilder, L. G. Cilley, Austin I. Phelps. 22 Moses Sawyer, Mrs. Sally Case, Jos. D. Maynard, Rev. L. D. Mears, Win. C. Warren. 23 Joseph Bowers, T. Bancroft, S. N. Haskell, Miss C. Sweetzer, G. F. Haines. 24 Jolın Ballard,
24 Widow Ballard, Wm. Ballard, F. Plummer, George Howard, Daniel Howard. 25 Elias Sawyer, Elijah Sawyer, Rufu's Eager. 26 Rev. J. Prentice, Israel Atherton, M.D., Luke Rugg, Chas. Humphrey, H. D. Humphrey. 27 Stephen Gray, Rufus Eager, Patrick Burke. 28 A. P. Fairbank. 28₺ Patrick Dillon. 29 A. Houghton, Rufus Maynard. 30 S. N. Haskell, Miss B. Golding, Michael Kelley.
31 Sanford Wilder, Patrick Golding. 32 Benj. Gould, John Rice.
33 Geo. W. Howe, Albion K. Gibbs, George Weeks.
34 Geo. W. Howe. 35 George Stratton. 36 Elisha Turner, Warren Wilson,
37 Elijah Wilder, Col. John Wilson, John Swan, James Pitts, C. H. Lawrence, Peter Gordon.
38 Old comb shop, John Townsend, W. A. M. Bailey, H. F. Hosmer.
38₺ Leander Rowell. 39 Old house moved from Sandy Hill ; became Leach's tavern, Austin Davis, Hollis B. Woods, Other landlords, Mrs. B. F. Rice.
40 Simeon Bowınan, S. H. Turner.
41 Silas Sawyer, Anthony Sawyer, Anson Burton.
42 S. Nonrse, Mrs. Julia Fay.
43 James Rugg, Mrs. Mont- goinery.
44 Tim'y Fairbank. 45 Widow Thurston. Peter Thurston, Mrs. S. Sawyer.
46 Joel Wilder, jr., Warren Davis, Hollis B. Davis, James Wise, Mrs. Wise.
47 J. G. Thurston, Josiah Flagg, Samuel Flagg, Miss Sally Flagg.
48 Jolın Fuller, Edw. M. Fuller.
49 Peter Fay, Mrs. Fay, Tenants.
50 Levi Priest, Mrs. H. Coburn. 51 Tenants, W. H. Hennesey. 52 Clas. Stront, Henry R. Hagar. 53 George Lowe. A. Olmsted. 54 Walter C. Rice. 55 Sydney Butler. 56 Factory tenc-
mient. 57 Mark Barrett.
58 Ephraim Fuller, Silas Allen, S. Bancroft,
58 David A. Dean. 59 Martin Kelley. 60 Thomas Fayhee, Mrs. Fayhee.
61 Bryan Golding, [north of the road.]
62 T. Killfoil, J. T. Killfoil. 63 Michael Fury. 64 Mr. Fairbank, Chas. K. Barnes. 65 Mr. Sawin.
66 D. A. Carter, P. R. Mansfield, . Geo. Sampson. 67 Elias Bennett, Daniel Carter, Samuel Carter, Dan. A. Carter, Frank Carter, Porter J. Lewis. 68 Boarding house, Tenement house, Frank Coughlin, Peter Roake.
69 Charles Burdett. 70 Old card factory, Asahel Tower, Simeon Bowman, Peter Joslin, Jno. W. Damon, Widow Hey- ward, Wm. Scrivener, Wm. Wood, Julius Wilder.
71 Asahel Tower, Benj. Houghton, Ephraim Fuller, Henry Jewell, Ezra Burton.
72 Peter Sawyer, Thomas Taylor, Tenants, G. W. Welling- ton,
Carter Wilder. 73 Levi Green. Ephraim Fuller. 74 Newton Sweet, H. N. Sweet, Levi Green.
75 John Bennett, John Edgarton. 76 Jolin Bennett. 77 William Henry. 78 - Nicholson. 79 Chas. H. Wilder.
794 Mich'l Conway. C. D. Howe, David Snow, Mrs. W. A. Bailey.
M.
81 Lewis Priest. 82 Austin Davis, Eli Howe.
83 Mrs. B. F. Rice, Alonzo Ball.
84 Mrs. Harris, Chapin Harris. 85 Minard Wood. 86 Dores Robinson, Chas. E. Palmer, 87 H. A. Weston. 88 George F. Rich- mond.
89 Dennis W. John- son, W. W. Lyman. 90 Old Wilder place, David Wilder, Calvin Wilder, Amos Wheeler, Wright S. Keyes, Dr. H. V. Stone, HI. B. Stratton. 91 Mrs. C. S. Lake.
OLD COMMON.
[See page 737.]
1 Dea. Haven, R. Houghton, Hor'e Faulkner, E. W. Moore, Jas. Broderick.
2 Silas Fairbank, John Davidson.
3 Haran Eager, Samuel Eager.
4 Paul Faulkner, E. Bathrick, Joshua Freeman. 5 H. C. Harriman. 6 William Targett, Adrian Nourse. 7 -- Moore, 8 School-house.
9 Old Tavern, T. Whiting, T. Whiting, jr., S. Jewett, Joseph B. Moore, Third meeting- house.
10 Gen. J. Whiting, O. Carter, store, Mrs. Stillwell, Jona. P. Nourse, J. A. Messenger, Old Academy.
11 Thomas Safford, Dr. D. Goodrich, D. S. Robertson, M.D., Miss A. Parks, Mr. Woodward, Rev. Marc.Ames.
12 Abner Pollard, S. A. Hastings, Orice King, Supt.'s house.
13 Old Store, Moses Emerson, - Perry, - Boynton,
Dea. F. Whitney. 14 Industrial school, No. 4. 15 Industrial school, No. 1. 16 Industrial school, No. 2. 17 Chapel.
18 Levi Wilder, Sir Robt. Carnes, Sir F. Searles, Benjamin Lee, Rich. Cleveland, Win. Cleveland, Joseph Hiller, William Shaler, Madam Stillwell Industrial scliool No. 3.
19 Jona. Wilder, Henry Townsend Dr. Stewart, Dr. Carl Siedhof Industrial scliool No. 5.
20 State barn. 21 Dr. Parks' Ten ants, John Taylor, Thomas Hickey. 22 Charles Priest, S. Jewett, -- Cutting, Mrs. Cutting. 23 J. Broderick, jr., Jall 24 Jolin Ollis.
725
THE HOME LOT OF PRESCOTT.
and next south of John Moor on the north. Thomas Sawyer was next south of Prescott's home lot, the east and west road running between. This being settled, the most convenient place for Prescott to live would be on the lot of Mrs. Ware. It would be near the store ; moreover, his blacksmith shop, where his son Jonathan is known to have worked, was on Frederick Chandler's land, and this is another reason for sup- posing the house was near. Probably things remained in this condition, till the destruction of the town.
From that time the Records are missing for nearly forty years, or till about 1720. In the meantime the town had been again settled, and the roads had been altered at un- known dates. It was in this interval that the Ward corner was fixed where it is now, and the road thence to the Sprague bridge placed substantially in its present bed.
The road having been moved east, it is supposable that the store was moved also, and it will not be thought unrea- sonable if we locate it where it is known that a store was kept more than a hundred years ago, that is, near the south- west corner of the Fay estate. Levi Willard and Samuel Ward had a store there, it is believed, as early as 1768 ; and the presumption is that they occupied an ancient site.
Where then was the house of Prescott, or of his son, after the rebuilding of the town? Perhaps his home was near his mill in Clinton, but if so, his son occupied the homestead. What reason is there to doubt that it was erected on the old spot, that is the Ward place ? For it should be remembered that the Ward or Ware property is not connected with the property on the west. The dividing line is now, as it was at first, the fence on the brow of the hill west of the ravine. Here, or very near this corner, was the homestead of the Prescott family, who did so much to shape the destiny of Lancaster and Clinton. Historians have noticed the fact that Prescott came near drowning in Sudbury river when moving his goods and chattels to this place, and have raised a query in regard to the change in results, if he had sunk to rise no
726
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
more. Then Col. Prescott of Louisburg fame, and the other Col. Prescott, of Bunker Hill renown, and judge Prescott, and Prescott the historian had never seen the light. Coming to a narrower circle of events, we may inquire what would have been the earlier fortunes of Lancaster? Doubtless it would have been settled, if he had been cut off, but his death would probably have retarded the settlement, and certainly would have been a most serious loss. His energy, his good sense, his wise counsel and his undaunted resolution, were greatly needed, and not less his great talent for business. His store, his shop, his farm and his mills connected him with all the enterprise of the new settlement; and he was also a firm supporter of the civil and religious interests of the people, as his mind worked clear of the notions of Dr. Child, and he saw his way to take the oath of fidelity, and finally to unite with the church.
So far as is now known, the first dwelling-house on the lawn of the Fay family, was built in 1789-90, for the min- ister, Rev. John Whiting. The history of this honorable transaction has been given in a former chapter. The land was bought and the house built, partly by the town and partly by subscription, and then made over to the pastor. After his tragical death, it was occupied by his successor, Rev. Andrew Gardner. If not at first, it was made into a garrison, and guarded by one or more flankers and sentry boxes. This was the second " minister's garrison," the Rowlandson house having never been rebuilt. Not far from this spot, Mr. Whi- ting was killed by the Indians in 1797, and on this spot Mr. Gardner was mortally wounded by one of his neighbors, by a sad mistake.
For some reason the next minister, Rev. John Prentice, did not occupy this house. Perhaps the associations were too sad for him, and for his wife, the widow of Mr. Gardner. Possibly the house, after the necessity for a garrison had ceased, was not so desirable as would be one free from a fort-like ap- pendage. However that may be, Mr. Prentice lived on the
.
727
SAMUEL WARD.
site now occupied by the family of the late excellent Dea. Humphrey. Here he lived till 1748, during a long and faith- ful ministry ; and here lived the once celebrated Dr. Israel Atherton, in a later generation. His education was superior to most practitioners at that day, and he had the courage to open a house on Pine hill for inoculation for small-pox, which was the precaution before vaccination came into vogue.
Going back to the Prescott corner, now Mrs. Ware's, we look upon the house owned and occupied by Capt. Samuel Ward about fifty-six years. The age of this house cannot be ascertained. When purchased by him, not far from 1770, it was so old that he hesitated whether to take it down, or re- pair it. He chose the latter, and often said that he had re- gretted doing so ever since. Yet the house is in good repair to-day, thanks to the care of himself and his niece, Mrs. Ware. It is a fine specimen of the better class of houses erected in the early part of the last century. Square in form, built around an immense chimney, two stories and an old-fashioned Mansard roof in height, with such an addition of L and leanto as a large hospitality demanded, it suggests to the traveler the thought that here dwells a man of ample means and liber- al housekeeping.
The occupant of this ample mansion from 1770 to 1826, was a remarkable man. Capt. Samuel Ward was descended from William Ward who came from England in the first half of the seventeenth century. With him came his son Rich- ard, who married Mary Moore of Sudbury in 1661. He was drowned there, March 31, 1666. He had a son named Oba- diah, who was married to Joanna Harrington of Watertown in 1693. He settled in Worcester in 1715, taking with him his son Daniel, who was born in 1700. This Daniel was the father of Samuel Ward, who was born in Worcester, Sep- tember 25, 1739. The latter married Dolly, a daughter of judge John Chandler. Having no surviving children, he made his sister, Mrs. Dolly Green, wife of Nathaniel Chandler, his heir. Mrs. Mary G. Ware, the daughter of Mr. Chan-
728
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
dler, is the present owner of the fine old homestead, which has been greatly improved by her good taste and judgment. It was by his intermarriage with the Chandler family, that Capt. Ward became a relative of his partner, Col. Levi Willard. Young Ward entered the army early in the last French and Indian war, in 1755, at the age of sixteen. He was a private in 1756, but rose to be adjutant in Col. Abijah Willard's regiment before 1760. He was at the taking of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, in 1759, and of Isle aux Noix and Montreal in 1760. The war being over, he commenced business in Groton, but moved to this town in 1767. Here he lived fifty- nine years, with ever growing respect and esteem, till the day of his decease, August 14, 1826, at the great age of eighty-seven years.
Mr. Ward is still remembered by aged persons, and they all unite in a chorus of eulogy. He was widely known for one in private life. Willard says that " his acquaintance was sought by all. No one who ever knew him, though but slightly, could forget him. His powers of entertainment were never exhausted ; his hospitality was inexhaustible." If he had chosen public life he " would have been distinguished as a statesman." Mr. Nathaniel Thayer, who has known the greatest men of the country during the last forty years, places Mr. Ward in the same grade of intellect and weight of character. He was a man of wonderful sagacity and shrewdness. Free from trick or chicanery, he had singu- lar success in carrying his points. The anecdote of his tri- umph in a town meeting during.the revolutionary war, will be recalled. Doubtless he sympathized with the royalist party before actual hostilities began, but his foresight as well as his love of liberty early brought him over to the side of the patriots. When men whom he respected joined the king's party, he stood firm. It is related by Mr. Willard, in his sketches of the Worcester bar, that Ward met judge Sprague in Boston, about the time when the war broke out, and find- ing him in a doubtful mood, advised him to go home and take
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ANECDOTE .- LETTER OF GEORGE BANCROFT.
his lot with his patriotic countrymen. He was a kind neigh- bor, and never failing in his benefactions to the poor.
An anecdote is told, which, true or invented, is illustra- tive of his exuberant hospitality. Having at one time his house full of company, he induced them, in pleasant ways, to overstay their time. At length they must go the next morn- ing. When morning came their horses were found without a shoe, and they were obliged to remain till a tardy black- smith could replace the shoes. The good humor of Mr. Ward was magnetic, and his guests readily acquiesced in their forced detention.
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