History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Part 14

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town
Number of Pages: 916

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates > Part 14

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HISTORY OF OXFORD.

The titles of the books first purchased were :

Gibbon's Abridgment, 2 v., Robertson's America, 2 v., Guthrie's Grammar, Morse's Grammar, Dodd's Thoughts, Fordice's Sermons, Paley's Philosophy, Citizen of the World, 2 v., Blackstone's Commentaries, 4 v., Webster's Essay, Paradise Lost, Night Thoughts, Beattie's Evidences, Beattie's Moral Science, Stackhouse His. of Bible, 6 v., The Task, Edwards on the Will, Jenyns' View, Mason on Self Knowledge, Watts' Death and Heaven, Ramsay's History, Dodd- ridge's Rise and Progress, Child's Friend, 2 v., Minot's Insurrections, Keats' Pelew Islands, Vicar of Wakefield, Edwards on Sin, Edwards on Redemption, Gardiner's Life, Blair's Sermons, 2 v., Boston's Distinguished Characters, Edwards on the Affections, Edwards against Chauncy, The Spectator, 8 v., Doddridge Sermons, Christian Theology, Pilgrim's Progress, Martin's Gram- mar, Newton on Prophesies, 2 v., Seneca's Morals, Hopkins on Holiness, Edwards on Virtue, American Preacher, 3 v., Butler's Analogy, Price's Dis- sertations, Hervey's Meditations, Bigelow's Tour, 2 v., Millot's Elements, 5 v., Locke's Essay, 2 v., Ferguson's Astronomy, Dean's Husbandry.

The library opened with about 80 volumes. Later, from time to time, additions were made by gift and purchase, and the aggregate was probably nearly double that number. It is no slight compliment to the intelligence and good taste of the people of those times that, as the records testify, these solid volumes were for many years ex- tensively circulated and read throughout the town.

A prudential committee of five was chosen annually to manage its general affairs, and for the first 20 years the following constituted this committee : Ebenezer Learned, Elisha Davis, Samuel Harris, Lemuel Crane, John Ballard, Ebenezer Humphrey, Joseph Hurd, Joshua Turner, John Dana. On Mr. Dudley's removal in 1799 Jonathan Harris was chosen librarian and continued until Jan., 1806, when Rev. J. Moulton became, ex-officio, the custodian. He retained the position until April only, when Col. Sylvanus Town was elected, serving until the settlement of Mr. Batcheller in 1816. In Oct., 1822, Mr. Batcheller died, and Jan., 1823, Calvin Perry was librarian, at which time interest had much declined. In Jan., 1825, the Church voted $60 for new books, and Seth Daniels was chosen librarian. About this time the name was changed from "Society Library" to " Second Social Library." In July, 1831, John Wetherell was in charge, continuing two or three years at least. Later the library was removed to the vestibule of the new Meeting-house, where it has since remained. It had no care, and being in a public place many books disappeared, there being at present only a remnant of about 25 volumes.

Library Association. This was an organization of young people, numbering 50 or more, formed in 1856. It first took the

1 Some of the entries on the records of fines are quite suggestive of the olden times, as when Lemuel Crane "greased Blackstone." Peter Shumway "dropped tallow on the American Preacher." Silas Eddy " dropped tallow on and burnt Stackhouse." John Dana "a drop of the

candle on book." . Amos Shumway "blurred Josephus " [snuff]. In Dec., 1890, the few re- maining volumes of this collection, and also of the first or Pastor's Library, were by vote of the Church presented to the Free Public Library.

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LIBRARIES.

form of a reading-club, meeting at private houses once in two weeks. Conducted by its members was a literary paper called the Evening Star. An attempt was made to raise funds by lectures, but was unsuccessful. In December a dramatic entertainment was given which put over $50 into the treasury which, with membership fees, fines, etc., enabled the society in Dec., 1857, to buy 84 volumes and a case, and a library was opened under the name of the "Association Library." The public were given the use of it by the payment of one dollar per annum for each person. The number of books was increased until it reached about 150 volumes, and the selection was good. Issachar Shumway was first librarian, and the books were kept for a time at the office formerly Dr. Nichols', near the present Dr. Cushman house, since removed to Barton Street. In Jan., 1860, the interest in the society had fallen off. In February meetings were suspended and a committee chosen to care for the library, funds, etc. In November meetings by vote were discontinued. The books were removed to the store of B. W. Childs, one of the committee, remained there for several years, and later were transferred to the Free Public Library.

High School Library. A year or two after the opening of the high school in 1856, a small library had been gathered for its use, chiefly by private contributions. At the same time the Library Association flourished, and in May, 1859, with the design of con- centrating the forces, the school voted to incorporate its collection with that of this body. The books continued in the care of the Asso- ciation for two years, and in May, 1861, the volumes received from the school were returned, and with them a case in which the whole had been kept, and the school library was re-established in its old position. Additions to it have been made and the collection now numbers about 250 volumes, and is a valuable adjunct to the educa- tional appliances of the school.

Farmers' Library. The Oxford Agricultural Library Associa- tion was formed 25 July, 1859. The town had been canvassed by an agent of certain book publishers, and 68 shares at $3 each were sold. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and a library of 148 vol- umes costing $225 was established. George Hodges, Jr., was first president, and William E. Pease, treasurer and librarian, continuing from first to last. The books were kept at the Post-office and were read considerably for the first few years, but as additions were not made to much extent the interest was not sustained and on 15 Aug., 1870, the collection was by unanimous vote given to the town to be incorporated in the Free Public Library.

School Library. In 1841 school libraries were being printed and established in Massachusetts under the sanction of the Board of Education. The plan contemplated 100 volumes at a cost of $57. At this date 37 volumes had been issued and the sum of $23.55 was raised by subscription in District No. 7, North Gore, and paid 17

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HISTORY OF OXFORD.

March, 1842. By-laws were adopted, officers chosen and the library opened. In 1843 it became the property of the District, George W. Hartwell was chosen librarian, and the books were kept at his house.

Free Public Library. This institution owes its origin to the kindly regard and generous impulses of a distinguished son of the town-Hon. Ira M. Barton. Bearing in mind the benefits he in his youth received from a similar source and the appreciation in which he had been held by the people, he gave the town in his will the sum of one thousand dollars "towards establishing a Free Public Library."1 This gift was formally accepted in April, 1868. In November, 1869, on the report of a committee appointed the pre- vious April, it was voted to organize a Town Library under the pro- visions of laws of the State. In April, 1870, an ante-room of the High School-house was appropriated to its use, and a committee was chosen to fit up the same, purchase books and provide for putting the library in operation. The money refunded from the dog-tax was appropriated to the same purpose in accordance with Chap. 250 of the Acts of 1869. In the autumn of 1870 the library was opened. April, 1871, Charles A. Angell, George F. Daniels and E. Harris Howland were chosen committee, with power to employ a librarian and to make by-laws. In 1874 the books, then numbering 1700, were removed to the new Town Hall. The town has, since the begin- ning, with the exception of one or two years, voted to it the dog-tax fund, which, beside paying running expenses, has brought the num- ber of volumes (April, 1890) up to over 4,000.

Reference Library. A very valuable feature of the institution is the Reference Department with its cyclopedias, dictionaries and books of reference on a great variety of subjects, numbering 450 vol- umes. For this the town is indebted to the liberality of Hon. George L. Davis of North Andover, who, appreciating the value of public records, in 1876, proposed to the town to present to it $500 for the benefit of its library if it would cause its earlier records of births, marriages and deaths to be copied and indexed. In April, 1876, this offer was accepted and the proposed work was completed during the following summer.

1 Judge Barton's will, dated 1 June, 1867, con- tained the following: "One thousand dollars to the inhabitants of the town of Oxford, my native place, towards establishing a Free Public Library

in that town, as an inadequate return for the kindness and patronage of their fathers in my early professional life."

CHAPTER VI.

HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.

MAIN STREET. FORT HILL ROAD. SUTTON ROAD. QUABOAG LANE. MILL ROAD. OLD CHARLTON ROAD. DUDLEY BRIDGE. NEW CHARLTON ROAD. POST-ROAD. SURVEY OF ROADS. DOUGLAS ROAD. HIGHWAY DISTRICTS. DOUGLAS TURNPIKE. MILLBURY ROAD. DUDLEY ROAD. HARTFORD TURN- PIKE. NORTH GORE ROADS. STREETS RELOCATED. STONE ARCH BRIDGES.

Eight-rod way. Three principal avenues existed in the town at the time of the English settlement. 1. The "Eight-rod way," so called, which, beginning at the fork of the present Thompson and Webster roads, at H. 62, ran northerly over Johnson's Plain, the Great Plain and Town's Plain to the north cemetery, a distance of nearly three miles. Upon this central highway were located chiefly the home lots of the English settlers. The selectmen, confirming the original location, on 6 Feb., 1714, laid out this way as follows :

" Beginning at a white oake tree on Jonsons plain neer Woodstock path, run- ing northwardly marked on the west sid to nelands feald on the great plain by the old mill place, from thence marked on the east Sid by Staks and trees tel it coms to the brooke on the northwardly Sid of peter Shumway's frame of his house [now Ithiel T. Johnson's, H. 185] from thence on the west Sid of the Swamp to and by the Ends of the home Lots of John towne and Israel towne and Daniel Eloit Juner sd way being Eight rods wide."

Two changes have been made in this way since its original location. The first was that made by Rev. John Campbell in 1723. His peti- tion to the proprietors was as follows :

"Gentlemen, whereas I have for the benefit of Travellers and Inhabitants Turned the eight rod highway opposite to my house and the two rod highway that leads to the Great Meadow : the eight rod highway is shortened about 10 or 11 rods and the other about so many, as also it hath saved the makeing of a bridge of some considerable charges and therefore I humbly request that you would be pleased to accept of the turning of the above said ways at your next meeting.

" (Signed ) JOHN CAMPBELL."

Granted 19 March, 1723.1

1 The original route was on the west side of the common or "training-field " and continued across the flat, now called the "prairie," crossing the brook at its northern extremity. This ac- counts for the location of the first meeting-house being so far west of the main road: it was, when built, directly on it. The change Mr. Campbell made caused the 8-rod way to pass the east side of the common, down the hill, crossing the brook

at the stone bridge east of the railroad, and bear- ing westerly entering the original location about 60 rods further north. A way from the Plain past Mr. Campbell's house to the great meadow was a necessity and as a bridge was needed there it was desirable that the main road should cross the brook at the same place, instead of having two bridges.

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HISTORY OF OXFORD.

The second change was made in 1793. Until that time the road near Peter Shumway's house on Johnson's Plain, H. 64, turned to the east so as to pass around the hollow north of the site of the Johnson house. At that date it was laid out directly across the hollow in its present location.

Four-rod way. 2. The "four rod way" led from the main road to the fort. This was at the same date laid out as follows :

" beginning att the Eight rod way on the Southwardly Sid of an orchard neer the old mill runing over the old mill brook to a rock on the East of Said brooke from thence marked on the northwardly Side with mark trees tel it coms to barnons land neer the north East Corner of Joseph Chamberlin's Sener's home lot, said way being four rods wide."

Six-rod way. 3. That named in the records of home lots as the " six rod way," being the road to Boston through Sutton, of which no description is recorded prior to May, 1729, when it was accepted as a town road.

Quaboag Lane. Another of the oldest ways in the town, and one which probably had no legal status, perhaps originally an Indian trail, was the " Quaboag" or Brookfield "Lane," which, fording the river at the stone arch bridge, entered the 8-rod way from the west near the house of the late Benjamin Paine, H. 221. In 1764 and in 1772 efforts were made to have this lane closed, but failed.

Of the old "Woodstock Path"-now the road to Webster-long trod by Connecticut pioneers, Huguenots and others, there is no descriptive record.1 On 24 Nov., 1729, it was voted that the bridge over the river on Woodstock road be paid for by the whole town.2

In 1731 a road south toward Killingly was accepted.

Mill Road. Another highway travelled much in early times, not accepted as a town road until 11 March, 1754, was the 2-rod way beginning at the northeast corner of the burying-ground leading over the hill to the mill, and on westerly. This and the Quaboag Lane were the only roads to Sturbridge and the south part of Charlton until after the Revolutionary war.

Charlton Road. March, 1731, a highway running from the 8- rod road on the north side of Town's Pond past the little cedar swamp and crossing the river near the Joseph Brown place, H. 88, was accepted, and soon opened. In May, 1738, a committee was chosen to fix the location of a bridge over the river on this road.

Bridges. The first bridge of which there is any record was that built over the mill brook in the 8-rod way one mile south of the centre on the Webster road, voted 24 May, 1716. At the same date it was also voted to build a bridge " made passabel for horses over ye brook " on the road to the fort. There doubtless had been pre- viously a foot-bridge here. Another was voted at the same time over the brook 100 rods east of the centre on the Sutton road. There

1 In 1672 was established a post route "to goe

2 This bridge was near the location of the monthly from New York to Boston," via Hart- present stone arch bridge on the Webster road. ford, which undoubtedly followed this path.

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HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.

1736-53

is a tradition that a beaver dam existed here on which a crossing was made before the bridge was built. In 1736 the Court of Sessions ordered a cart bridge to be built over the river in the North Gore "on the road to Oxford."

Building a road was a thing unknown in the earlier days. "Ways" were opened over the natural soil, and the people as best they could, travelled them on horseback or in ox carts. After 10 or 12 years, in March, 1728, a small sum was voted to repair them. In 1765 it was voted to clear them of snow in the winter. 1

Roads accepted. March, 1732, from Ebenezer Learned's, towards Worcester and Leicester, two rods wide. 1740, from present Rockdale west to Daniel McIntire's, near Charlton line. 1742, that ordered by the Court of Sessions, from Woodstock to Worcester, Ebenezer Learned chairman of committee ; the way followed old roads in Oxford.

Bridge on Dudley Road. In Nov., 1742, the town was " pre- sented " before the court for not keeping a good bridge over the river on the Dudley road. The bridge was repaired and the case dis- missed. In 1759 the selectmen represented to the Court that they had been at great expense in maintaining this bridge, that but two families lived on the Dudley side of it, and it was little service to the town but wholly used by travellers and inhabitants of Dudley ; that it was then out of repair and must soon be re-built, asking that the County assume the cost. This petition was dismissed.

Roads accepted. 1748, from Josiah Kingsbury's, now in Web- ster, into the " 8 rod" or Killingly road ; from Roger Amidown's, . now Clark's, H. 39, to the " 8 rod " way ; in 1749, from Jacob Town's, H. 87, into the old Charlton road north of Town's Pond; from Blood's and Dresser's, later Charlton, to Ballard's mill, now Howarth's ; in 1750, from Hudson's on Long Hill to the north Meeting-house ; from Ebenezer McIntire's, Charlton, over Mashamucket Hill to the north branch of Little River into the road from Dresser's to Ballard's mill ; in 1751, from Sutton line near Ensign Kidder's toward Oxford over land of Hovey, Bogle and Oliver Shumway into a road near Hudson's.

The road leading easterly from the north common existed before 1750. In March, 1753, the town accepted a way from Benjamin Davis', then living near H. 22, northwest into this road, giving him a way to the Meeting-house.

Soon after 1750 Duncan Campbell began erecting a house in the 8-rod road at the head of the common, the site of the present school- house, H. 189. In March, 1754, the town voted to allow him to shut

1 Within the memory of many now living the travelled way through our beautiful Main Street consisted of from one to half a dozen carriage paths of deep ruts cut in the loam, abounding in mire and mud-holes in the wet season, and wind- ing in all directions from one side to the other

through the length of the Plain, and not until the grading of the railroad in 1838, when good materials were to be had in abundance, was the present straight and solid way constructed in the middle of the street.

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HISTORY OF OXFORD.

1754-84

up four rods of the highway, the Court of Sessions granting him leave "to turn the road near his improvements," provided he made the new road as good as the old. In making this change a strip of land a part of the 8-rod way was left on the west side of his house. In March, 1771, this strip, 16 rods long, was voted by the town to Rev. Joseph Bowman, then owner of the adjoining estate on the west. On 11 March, 1754, the town accepted the County road to be four rods wide from the stone bridge southerly to the common, passing the Campbell or Wolcott house.

Roads accepted. March, 1760, from Ebenezer Merriam's, North Gore, to Edwards' mill, later Lamb's ; 1771, from Jacob Shumway's, H. 170, and John Hudson's, southeast to Sutton line ; 1772, from Israel Phillips' southerly through Freeland's land to the Leicester road. In 1768, by order of Court was laid out a road from Dudley to Worcester, following the old road in Oxford.

Charlton road. After Charlton had been about 20 years incor- porated its people began to object to the indirect and hilly route to Oxford, past the Augutteback mill and over Camp Hill, and moved for a new way south of the falls, shorter and quite level, and peti- tioned the Court of Sessions thereon. The result was that before June, 1774, a road was laid out from Lieut. John Nichols' on the Sturbridge road near the present school-house in the Buffum district, easterly over the river at the present stone bridge, as it now is, and entering the main street near the tavern at the centre.1 This project was considered a great undertaking, and the town opposed it until forced by the authorities to act. In June, 1774, Ebenezer Learned, Alexander Campbell and Capt. John Larned were chosen to secure an alteration in the route and to have it laid farther to the south, proba- bly so that one bridge might be made to answer for both the Larned neighborhood and Charlton. But this plan failed. The Revolution- ary war came on and for eight years we hear nothing of the matter. In 1782, a vote was passed to pay John Nichols £50 for the new road going through his land. In July of that year Abraham Hill, Ebenezer Learned and Daniel Fisk were chosen to petition the General Court for relief from extraordinary charge which fell upon the town by the new County road going through the land of Lieut. Nichols and others. In Nov., 1783, Ebenezer Learned, Daniel Fisk and James Butler were chosen to petition the General Court for authority to make a lottery " to build a bridge and make a road from Doct. Lord's [the tavern keeper] to Lieut. Nichols'." In March, 1784, the select- men were directed to petition the Court to discontinue this road, and in June a committee was chosen to view the route with the Court's

1 A committee of the Court of Sessions reported Dec., 1773, on a road from Sturbridge to Oxford, "through Charlton near the house of Capt. Curtis, and through Oxford near the house of Nichols till it meets the County road . . . south of Ephraim Ballard's, Innholder." A later

report in detail gives, "began four rods south of the house of Ezra Bowman [who had succeeded Ballard], innholder . . . on [westerly] ... to a popple in Quabog or town road, thence west to the River and Coburn's land, thence on near John Nichols' house."

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HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.

1785-97

committee.1 No effort, however, could relieve the town from its responsibility. In Jan., 1785, the project of a lottery was revived and Daniel Fisk, Samuel Harris and James Butler were chosen to again petition the General Court to grant leave to raise money by such means, or failing in this, to ask that it be made a County expense. After the failure of all expedients the town took hold of the work in earnest, and in June, 1785, Capt. John Larned, Ebenezer Humphrey and Amasa Kingsbury were chosen to oversee the building of the bridge, and in October surveyors were authorized to call upon " as many persons as they think proper to work on the new . bridge, and give each one shilling extra per day for their encouragement, which makes 3s. per day." Soon thereafter, this enterprise which had apparently so tried the courage and the resources of the town for more than ten years was completed.2

Roads accepted. 1788, past the Lovett farm, H. 17, to Sutton, -" north end of the floom of Samuel Davis' mill," named in record. March, 1786, from Dea. John Davis', H. 29, to Sutton road. 1791, from Learned's village [Texas] west towards Charlton, 2 rods wide [now discontinued]. May, 1793, from North Common west, as now trod, to " the bridge west of the north meeting house," intersecting the old road to Charlton north of Town's Pond, which was discontinued March, 1819.

Post road. In 1796 was projected a great post route from Hart- ford to Boston, passing through Sturbridge, Charlton, North Oxford, Grafton, etc. In Jan., 1797, Sylvanus Town was sent as delegate to a convention at Grafton to consider this subject. In May the selectmen were directed to meet the Court's committee "respecting a stage road through the town." In June the town remonstrated against the plan. It, however, was pushed on and the road partly built. But it was an ill-advised scheme so far as its location in Oxford was con- cerned on account of the natural obstacles existing. From Charlton line easterly its course was through Texas village, striking the foot of Prospect Hill near the Severy place, H. 113, and leading over the hill as it now exists in a direct line four rods in width, entering the Worcester road near the house formerly of Joel Carter in Auburn. But the descent on the easterly side was so abrupt that it was impos- sible, without a heavy outlay, to make a passable stage road. There

1 A petition of the inhabitants of the town of Oxford was presented setting forth that " where- as some time ago a road was laid out beginning where the road from Boston enters the main road in Oxford ... and runs west about one mile and a half as will appear by the records, that there are already within the extent of seven miles six good roads and bridges across a large river called the French river, kept in constant repair, at a very great cost to said town, besides sundry other bridges over large mill brooks; that the new road will be very little advantage to the inhabitants of said town, as the old road

must be kept in repair as two of the principal mills in said town stand on the old road "-and therefore praying that the expense of the said road might be made a county charge, or be dis- continued, etc.

2 An explanation of the extraordinary action of the town in this matter is found in the straitened circumstances of the people, so heavy was the already accumulated burden of the war debt, the ministerial debt and other unusual ex- penses consequent upon the war that the addi- tion of even a small amount was resisted as un- reasonable.

114

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

1797-1800

the enterprise within Oxford limits terminated, and the road was built on a new route two miles farther north in the valley through Rochdale.

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History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Part 14

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town Number of Pages: 916

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town
Number of Pages: 916