USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735, Millbury until 1813 and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn > Part 12
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"Resolved, That the objects of Congress in disposing of the surplus revenues of the different States of the Union would be better obtained and more justly effected by distrib- uting the share to be deposited with this State among the several towns and districts of this Commonwealth in pro- portion to their respective population to be by them appro- priated as they shall deem most fit and proper."
April 3d. The town " voted to receive from the Treasurer and Receiver General of the Commonwealth its proportion of the surplus revenue of the United States in deposit and will comply with the terms and provisions of the several Acts passed by the Legislature of said Commonwealth con- cerning the deposit of the surplus revenue."
The town records contain no reference to the purchase of a farm by the committee appointed May 9th, 1836, but at the meeting held as above, it was "Voted that the Over- seers of the Poor stock and furnish the Town Farm." *
1843.
Aug. 6th. Much interest began to be manifested by many in the town in the cause of temperance, as is evident from the following article in the warrant for a town meeting upon this date, "To see if the town by vote will instruct the
* The farm now known as the "Town Farm," was purchased of David Tourtelott, March 15, 1837.
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Selectmen not to approhate any person to be licensed as an inn-holder with a license to retail or sell wine, or spirituous, or fermented liquors, or any other person as a retailer of wine, or spirituous, or fermented liquors."
This article was not acted upon.
1844.
Jan. 29th. The society "voted that the mecting-house be not opened for any political or secular purpose, and that the basement of said house be not opened for any purposes excepting the concerns of the town, Society, or Church, without the express leave of the Prudential Committee, and then only at the full expense of the persons applying for permission."
1846.
March 2d. Warren Hunt . and others have petitioned the legislature to be incorporated in connection with East Douglas as a new town. Upon which petition the town took action as follows :
"Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the peti- tion of Warren Hunt and others now pending before the Legislature of this Commonwealth for an Act of Incorpora- tion for a new town out of territory of the towns of Doug- las and Sutton by which said towns will be deprived of a portion of their respective territory ought not to pass. That if said petition for said Act of Incorporation was to pass, it would do great injustice to both of said towns of Douglas and Sutton.
"Resolved, That this town will take all lawful and proper measures to oppose the passage of any Act of Incorporation of a new town under said petition by which this town shall be deprived of any part of its territory."
1847.
March 1st. The legacy left by Mr. John Cole for school purposes, to which reference was made in these annals under the dates of 1819, '20-21, was awarded by the court in which the town had brought suit for its possession to the keeping
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of the South Parish (what was the South Parish when the . legacy was made). The parish make a proposition to the town to take this money as a permanent loan. Upon which proposition the town " voted to borrow of the South Parish in Sutton the amount of the school-fund belonging to said parish, at six per cent. interest per annum, payable on the 1st day of January annually, and that their Treasurer be authorized under the superintendence of their Selectmen to give security for the same."
1853.
Nov. 14. Certain persons interested in the formation of a Methodist Episcopal Church have asked the town for a lot of land " on the west side of the Common or in the South- west corner of the burying-ground upon which to erect a meeting house." Upon which request the following motion was made: "That the town grant the M. E. Church the use of a portion of the common as asked for, on condition that a Committee of three, one of whom shall be a member of said Society, shall investigate the matter immediately, and decide that it can be done legally."
The above motion was adopted, and Messrs. G. W. Put- nam, Samuel Taylor and Horace Leland were chosen a committee "to locate and fix the spot for said house, if they shall find they have a legal right."
1854.
March 6th. The town chose "Sylvanus Putnam, as Agent to give a lease of the lot of land granted by the town to the M. E. Church and located by the Committee chosen for that purpose." It was also "voted that when- ever the M. E. Church shall cease to worship in their house the land shall revert back to the town and the house shall be moved."
The Methodist Episcopal Society was duly organized - officers were chosen and a code of by-laws adopted, and measures taken to secure a lease from the town of a lot of land for their meeting house.
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April 1st. A lease of a lot upon the west side of the com- mon, a little south of the school-house was given by the agent appointed for the purpose, the condition of which was, " that a House of worship should be built upon said premises on or before the expiration of three years from the 14th day of November last, and that whenever the said M. E. Church shall cease to worship in their House for the time of one year, the land shall revert back to the Town of Sut- ton, and the Lessees shall remove their House of Worship from the said premises and clear them of all incumbrances." *
1856.
Feb. 23. Several petitions are pending before the Gen- eral Court for a dismemberment of the town. "Horace Leland, Le Baron Putnam, Putnam King, Pliny Slocumb and Simon J. Woodbury are appointed a Committee to oppose these petitions."
Dec. 6. The above named committee are instructed "to oppose all petitions of a like nature which may come before the next General Court."
1857.
April 6. " Voted to instruct our Representative in Gen- eral Court to use the extent of his ability and influence to oppose and vote against any proposition for a dismember- ment of the Town before the present Legislature."
1861.
April 11. Fort Sumter was fired upon and the war of the Rebellion inaugurated.
April 15. The President issues his Proclamation calling for 75,000 of the militia of the several states to " repossess the forts, places and property," which had been seized, " to maintain the perpetuity of popular Government and to redress wrongs long enough endured."
These men were called for three months' service.
April 29. An impromtu meeting of citizens of the town was held for the purpose of discussing the situation,
* Town Records.
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and a committee appointed to draught a series of resolutions for the action of a meeting of the town called for the day following.
April 30. At the meeting of this date the feeling of indignation at the atrocity of the act of firing on the national flag ; of patriotic devotion, and of determined purpose to crush rebellion, was in full harmony with that which pre- vailed throughout all the loyal states. In view of the peril of the hour, and the necessity of wise action, it was pro- posed that the proceedings be opened with prayer; and it is recorded that the Rev. Mr. Hawkins being called upon " to address the Throne of Grace, responded in a fervent and appropriate prayer."
On motion of E. J. Mills, it was " voted that a Commit- tee chosen at a meeting held last evening to present the sub- ject for action to-day be invited to do so now, and the Hon. J. D. McCrate, Chairman of said Committee, responded in the following
RESOLUTIONS.
Resolved, That in this most unnatural contest, waged against our Country by a band of traitors in the Southern States, we, the inhabitants of Sutton, believing that the whole strength of the country should be exerted in an official manner to put down rebellion, call upon the Government of the United States to make no terms or compromises with traitors, but to carry on the war in such a manner, and with such force as will strengthen the union sentiment which we believe still exists in portions of the rebellious States, and intimidate and overwhelm those, who, regardless of all obli- gations, seek a division of our beloved Country.
Resolved. That we are neither advocates of, nor believers in the right of Secession, That we regard the course taken by the self-styled Seceding States as Revolution without justifiable cause, and that the Government of the Country is therefore bound to put it down by the strong arm of force.
Resolved. That we appropriate the sum of six thousand ($6,000) dollars for the specific object of taking care of the
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families, and of uniforming such of the inhabitants of this Town as shall enlist either for the war or for three years or more, and shall be called out to serve for that period and be accepted by the regularly constituted authorities of the Country.
Resolved. . That the above sum or whatever portion thereof be necessary shall be expended under the direction of a Committee of three to be chosen at this meeting.
Resolved. That Col. John D. McCrate, A. Dudley Chase and James Taylor be a Committee for the purpose above mentioned.
" Voted to pay such persons as may volunteer one dollar per day for the time necessary to be expended in drilling."
June 4th. The town give instructions as follows, with reference to the pay of Volunteers and aid to their families :
" The Committee elected, at a previous meeting, for the purpose of disbursing certain moneys to Volunteer Soldiers and their families are instructed to pay all persons who have volunteered belonging to Sutton the sum of one dollar per day for actual drilling and to pay the families of the same such sums per week as the late State Act has authorized. The said Committee are farther instructed to pay the Towns of Oxford, and Grafton, or other Towns, such sums of money as they have paid or shall pay our men for drilling, or for uniforms."
June 8th. The Committee chosen April 30th to attend to the disbursement of certain sums of money report :
"That they believe the legal duties incumbent upon them can be as well transacted by the Selectmen, and they would therefore respectfully resign."
Their resignation was accepted, and the selectmen were instructed to discharge the duties of this committee and to render such aid to the families of volunteers as in their judgment they may require.
The town also authorized the treasurer, " by the advice of the Selectmen to borrow from time to time such sum or sums of money as may be necessary for the purposes above mentioned."
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1862.
July 22d. The town "voted to pay to cach Volunteer who shall enlist into the Army of the United States the sum of one hundred and twenty-five dollars."
August 2d. The town "Voted to offer a bounty of one hundred and fifty ($150.00) dollars to any person who, on, or before, the eighteenth day of August, will enlist as a Volunteer in the Army of the United States as one of quota of twenty-eight men from Sutton, the same to be paid as soon as such person shall have been accepted and mustered."
August 23d. The call for nine months men was promptly responded to by the town, which "voted to take measures to procure by enlistment our quota of troops, and to pay to each person enlisting as one of said quota a bounty of one hundred and fifty ($150.00) dollars."
At this meeting " the following Resolutions, presented by Jason Waters, Esq. were unanimously adopted and the Clerk instructed to furnish a Copy for the press, and also to forward a Copy to the President."
RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas, The President having called upon this town to raise a second quota of men, in addition to those who, with patriotic zeal previously volunteered for the service, to put down the iniquitous, Southern Rebellion, therefore,
Resolved :- That we heartily respond to this and any call the President may make, to crush treason and save our Country from its withering curse, upon the great principles set forth in the Declaration of Human Rights made by the Fathers of the Republic- by the powers conferred upon the Government by the Constitution and laws, and by the rights which the laws of the Civilized Nations of the World declare to be just; and to this end alone do we hereby pledge ourselves, our lives and property, all that we are, and all that we can be, to the prompt deliverance of our Country from the baneful curse of malignant traitors and unscrupulous assassins.
Resolved : - That it is with the deepest humiliation and most poignant regret, that we have witnessed the great
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sacrifice of human life, in the persons of our brave soldiers and the union loving people of the Southern States, together with millions of public and private property, which sacrifice, in our belief, was made in the efforts of the Government to placate and flatter rebels, secessionists, or semi-secessionists, by exempting from seizure and confiscation a portion of the property of rebels on which they relied for success in their hellish raid, and without which a successful resistance to the laws and armies of the United States could not be of long duration.
Resolved :- That we earnestly urge the President to adopt a policy, that shall make these contumacious scoundrels feel the horrors of a war of their own inauguration, believing it to be but justice to humanity that the authors of this most atrocious rebellion should be made to fecl in some degree, commensurate with their crimes, the evils and woes which they with blackhearted villainy have thrust upon humanity which they have cursed, - in the name of freemen who stand firm and unconditionally by their Country, its Constitution, and Laws- in the name of the brave heroes who have died that their Country might live - in the name of a just God who ruleth all nations with the sceptre of Perfect justice, to take a position on the great principles of Truth, Liberty and Justice, and adopt a policy that has for its purpose the sudden and utter destruction of every root and branch of this diabolical rebellion, and let it be universally proclaimed to the army, the navy, the country and the world, so that there may be no longer any conflict of opinion among the people of the country or the world, nor further conflict of action among subordinate officials ; and that any obstacle to so grand a consummation, whether it be officials in the army or navy -ministers in the cabinet or foreign courts ; whether it be from States at home or nations abroad, acting under the specious pretext of neutrality, let them be speedily removed; and the Nation will then arise from the dust of her humiliation, with her noble principles tried and purified to elevate mankind and bless the world."
August 30th. "The Rev. Mr. Richardson, of Worcester, by previous invitation, was present, and favored the people
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with an Address upon the condition, and prospects of the Country, and our present crisis. Many Ladies, to whom an invitation had been extended to do so, were present, to listen to the Address and encourage us by their presence." *
1863.
Massachusetts, under the guidance of her noble Governor, John A. Andrew, was the first state to respond to the call of President Lincoln for troops for the defense of the national capital, after the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter. As early as 1860 she had made a tender to the government of her military forces, and had put five thousand men under drill, for whom she had provided clothing and accoutrements ; but of these only three thousand were armed with the Springfield rifle-musket.
The first call for troops was received on the fifteenth of April, 1861, and on the sixteenth two regiments, mustered with all necessary equipments ready to move ; and within six days from the date of the President's call, Massachusetts had six regiments on the way to the scene of danger. Many of these troops were poorly armed, and left the state relying upon the ability of the national government to supply the defect when they should arrive at their destination. But the gov- ernment was sadly deficient in arms, owing to the depletion of the northern armories by John B. Floyd, secretary of war-the seizure of the United States armory at Harper's Ferry by the militia of Virginia, which contained fifteen thousand stand of arms -and the destruction of Gosport Navy Yard at Norfolk, Va., by order of the government, which was the largest depot of arms in the United States.
Good arms were the great need of the hour, but this need was not supplied during the first two years of the war. Massachusetts sent an agent to Europe to procure arms, but those purchased were of such inferior quality that they were of no service, and whole regiments, more than a year after the bombardment of Fort Sumter, were detained from the field. The disaster of Ball's Bluff, in which the fifteenth
Town Records.
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Massachusetts suffered so severely, was due largely to their being armed with muzzle loading, smooth bore muskets, while contending against the superior weapons in the hands of the Mississippi riflemen. Strange as it may seem, there were private armories in our own state that were furnishing, prior to the war, the British and Russian governments with breech- loading rifles, and it was no secret that the armory at Chico- pee Falls completed a contract for the manufacture of such rifles for the state of Mississippi; yet the opinion of the military martinets ruled such arms out of the hands of the infantry soldiers of the Union.
In the first session of the Massachusetts legislature in 1863, the military committee (unanimously on the part of the House) reported a bill for the purchase of small arms and ordnance, and upon recommendation of the finance committee, five hundred thousand dollars were appropri- ated for that purpose. The bill restricted the purchases to be made by the governor to the Springfield musket pattern. Mr. Jason Waters, our townsman, who repre- sented this district in the legislature of 1863 and 1864, moved to amend by striking out "Springfield musket pattern" and insert " of such pattern as the Governor and Council shall deem best adapted to the service to which it is to be applied." The amendment was lost, and the bill went to the Senate. Mr. Waters called the attention of some of the most influential members of the Senate to the importance of the amendment, and it was introduced and adopted. The bill was returned to the House for concur- rence, and a special assignment made for its consideration. The time was short, and much must be done to convince the majority, who had voted against the amendment, that they had done so from misapprehension. Speaker Bullock ruled that the member from Sutton might bring guns upon the floor of the House for the purpose of exhibiting a principle pertinent to the question under discussion, that could not otherwise be clearly illustrated. Accordingly every kind of breech-loading rifle that could be obtained was from time to time stored in the lobbies of the House.
Valuable information and aid were given by Messrs. J.
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Ashcroft, E. T. Steere, Palmer & Batcheller, Win. Reed & Son, and others. Correspondence was also had with Gen. A. C. Maggi, Gen. W. S. Rosecranz, Maj. Gens. B. F. Butler, A. Pleasanton, Geo. H. Thomas, A. E. Burnside, and J. Hooker, and Lt. Gen. U. S. Grant. When the time for the consideration of the question came, and it was announced as the order of the day, the messengers brought forth the arms from the lobbies, and stacked them in the area in front of the speaker's desk.
The member from Sutton moved to concur in the Senate's amendment, and proceeded to show the great superiority of the breech-loading rifle over the muzzle-loading arm, and contrasted it, gun in hand, with the arm recommended by the military committee.
Extracts from the letters of the distinguished generals above named - men who had had proof on the battle field of the efficiency of the breech-loader - were also read, and so convincing was the argument as thus enforced, that the House by a large majority repudiated its former vote, and concurred in the amendment of the Senate.
Governor Andrew appointed a commission to examine, test, and select the best breech-loading rifle.
Arrangements were made for a thorough trial at Readville, in which all inventors and manufacturers of breech-loaders were invited to participate.
The trial convinced the commission that, all things consid- ered, the Spencer repeating rifle was the best for military service, and they accordingly recommended its adoption. Governor Andrew immediately contracted for the construc- tion of a supply for the state. Soon after the first few thousand were delivered, the battle of Chickamauga occurred, in which two thousand Spencer rifles in the hands of Gen- eral Wilder's Michigan Brigade, that, by the permission of General Thomas, they themselves had been allowed to pur- chase, turned the tide of that desperate battle in favor of the union forces under General Rosecranz.
The secretary of war, learning that Massachusetts had adopted the Spencer repeating rifle, and then had a supply of several thousand ready for her troops as they might be
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called for, requested the governor to turn them over to the United States government, that they might be immediately placed in the hands of men in the field.
Governor Andrew at once complied with the request, and the government forthwith ordered the construction of a large number on its own account. Thus, in spite of the cautious conservatives, and the objections of those military men who condemn any change which has not commended itself to popular favor, Massachusetts enjoys the honor of first- placing in the hands of infantry, by authority of gor- ernment, a weapon which is more destructive than any herc- tofore in use ; and, as such, will do much to shorten wars. And with just pride do we record the fact, that the member from Sutton initiated the change by his amendment to the bill for the purchase of arms, and when his amendment was lost, used such influence with the senators as to secure its adoption by the senate, and when the amended bill was returned to the House for concurrence, single-handed and alone, confronted the opposition of the military committee, and by his convincing arguments, enforced by practical illustration, brought the majority most enthusiastically to the support of his measure.
Nov. 3d. To the requisition for 300,000 men, made by the president, October 17th, the town took the following action for raising its quota :
" Voted that the town take measures to procure the men called for from Sutton, by enlistment."
" Voted that the town pay a bounty of seven hundred (700.00) dollars to each person that will enlist as one of said quota.
1864.
April 13. Under the call of the president dated February 1, 1864, for additional troops, the town "voted to pay a bounty of one hundred and twenty-five ($125.00) to each volunteer to fill Sutton's quota."
June 18. In anticipation of a call for more troops the town "voted unanimously to raise the sum of one hundred and twenty-five ($125.00) dollars for each person that the
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selectmen may recruit to fill the quota of this town under any call of the president prior to the 1st of March, 1865."
The seleetmen "recommend the purchase of a lot of land upon the farm of Mr. Emory Howard for a new Cemetery ; whereupon "Voted to accept the report, and that the chair appoint two persons as Commissioners to act with the Select- men in the purchase of the Emory Howard lot, take the Deed in favor of the town, lay the same out in suitable burying-lots, sell the same, and give deeds as Agents of the town."
1865.
June 12. Messrs. B. L. Batcheller, George Hastings and John Putnam Stockwell were appointed a committee to ascertain what amount of money individuals may have con- tributed for the purpose of filling the quota of the town or furnishing men for the war during the year 1864. This committee report a total of $6,711.00.
The town " Voted to accept the report and raise the sum of seven thousand (7,000.00) dollars for the purpose above specified."
The town furnished two hundred and twenty-three men for the war, which was a surplus of eight over and above all demands.
Two were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money appropriated and expended on account of the war, exclusive of state aid, was twenty-five thousand one hundred and eighty dollars and fourteen cents ($25,180.14.) The amount of money paid by the town for state aid to soldiers' families during the war, and afterward repaid by the state was as follows : In 1861, $501.91; 1862, $2,410.71 ; 1863, $3,212.70; 1864, $1,725.76; 1865, $1,901.26. Total amount, $9,752.34.
The ladies of Sutton furnished a great many articles for the soldiers during the war, to the money value of about one thousand dollars. Among the articles were shirts, drawers, socks, lint, bandages and other useful stores. They were forwarded to the front generally through the Sanitary and Christian Commissions .*
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