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 16
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
Daniel Sibley was a man of medium size, but noted as an expert with the scythe and cradle. Elijah married a Bartlett and had Almon and Lowell.
Elijah Sibley, sen., settled his estate upon his grandson, Daniel, jr., on condition that he should support his grand- father, grand-mother, his father and mother through life, which he did. He built a new house, and brought up a good and virtuous family of eleven children. One of his sons, Emory, lived in Webster, where he held many town offices, and represented the town in the state legislature. Daniel Sibley, jr., was a man of great industry and cheerful temper. He never held many town offices, for the reason that he belonged to a party in the minority. He is spoken of as among those of each of whom it may be said, he was " The noblest work of God, an honest man."
After the death of Mr. Sibley, his son Alden sold the place to Mrs. Lucina Paine. She has held it since 1854, the date of her deed.
The house where Joseph S. Jones now lives was built (one room) by James T. Elliot in 1815; rebuilt soon after by John Parsons. John Burdon, an early settler who came from Salem, lived on same site or near there. He was suc- ceeded by a Mr. Rhodes. It was known as the Rhodes place when Mr. Parsons bought it of Capt. Elliot. John Parsons married Luey Hathaway and had twelve children, all born here but Daniel. Lucy Hathaway is daughter of Simeon Hathaway, who had twenty-one children. She, the eleventh, is the only survivor ; born January 5, 1793. Mr. Parsons deeded this estate, containing thirty-one acres, to Joseph H. Putnam in 1847. Mrs. Naney A. Jones, the present owner, inherited it from her father. Joseph S. and Nancy A. Jones have had eleven children, most of them born in this house.
John Burdon, mentioned above, died at the Phinehas Putnam place when the roads were so blocked with snow that they had to draw the corpse on a hand sled across lots to the burial place, near Alvan Putnam's, where he was
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interred. So says Mrs. Parsons. John Parsons claimed to be the inventor of pegged shoes, and as there is no proof to the contrary, he may be accorded that honor.
The next house was first owned, so far as can be ascer- tained, by one Carriel, then by Charles Putnam, son of Col. John Putnam, next by Stephen Sibley, son of Tarrant, son of Jonathan, son of Joseph. He married a daughter of Daniel Sibley, and most of his children were born in this house. He afterwards moved to West Brookfield, where he made gun-powder. One of his daughters married a Gilbert, and was mother of Hon. Lucien Gilbert of Warren, who married Miss Mary L. Bliss, once a teacher in District No. 4, in Sutton. The place was next owned by Jonathan Larned, who sold it to Daniel Marble and Nathan Lombard. They took down the old house. The site now belongs to Waldo Put- nam.
John Burdon owned a small house directly opposite, down long ago. Below this, on Gravel Brook, stood a malt and grist-mill, built by Tarrant Sibley. It has been down many years. The site is now owned by Waldo Putnam.
The house now occupied by Alfred Malhoit and owned by Peter H. Putnam, was built by Abner Sibley. His sons were Abner, Simeon, Elihu and Clark. Clark married Hannah Marble, and had two children - Edwin and Mary Ann. Edwin died single. Mary Ann married Charles P. Baldwin, a very wealthy man, now living in New York. The mother died in Brooklyn, aged ninety-seven. After the death of Mr. Sibley, Nathan Lombard bought the place. Joseph Wilcox once owned it and lived there.
Abner Sibley was the father of Mrs. David Cole, the mother of Hon. Sumner Cole.
The house now owned by Sullivan Graves and Emory Putnam was built by Deacon Daniel Torrey, who lived there several years. It was afterward owned by Mr. Lazarus Le Baron, then by Dr. Leonard Pierce, by Sumner and Parley Putnam. Abijah Putnam lived there six years; two of his sons were born there, Jason and Lyman. Elihu Sibley moved there from the Cole place April 1, 1818, and lived there several years. Abraham Tourtellott once lived there.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
The house where Waldo Putnam now lives was first built by Joseph Sibley. He willed the east room to his wife, and the rest of the house and all his other buildings to his son, Jonathan. The will was proved at Probate court, Worces- ter, May 15, 1754. First deed to Joseph, dated 1722.
Children of Joseph and Elizabeth were Joseph, born March 6, 1709, John, born August 2, 1711, James, born May 7, 1714, Jonathan, born September 11, 1718, Hannah, born June 27, 1721, Susanna, born Aug. 24, 1723, Mary, born September 23, 1725. Jonathan, born 1718, married Hannah, born June 17, 1721. They had Jonathan, jr., born Feb. 10, 1741, Reuben, born February 20, 1743, Huldah, born September 13, 1745; Paul, born April 26, 1748, Gideon, born November 20, 1750, Tarrant, born Sept. 1, 1754. Tarrant married Hannah Putnam born May 11, 1761. They had Stephen, born April 9, 1780, Tarrant, jr., born October 22, 1781, Hannah, born May 22, 1784, Francis, born January 1, 1786, Lot, born December 15, 1788, Nathaniel, born Dec. 29, 1791, Tyler, born February 18, 1793, Israel, born Feb. 11, 1795, Deborah, August 5, 1797, Nahum, born June 5, 1800, Polly, born May 4, 1802, Sumner, Dec. 20, 1806, died young.
Jonathan's children were all born on this farm, and Tarrant's were born in this house. Old men speak of Jonathan Sibley as a large man, almost a giant.
Tarrant Sibley was a very large, thick-set man, known as a maltster. He was much respected by all acquainted with him, and called Unele Tarrant by many. He died almost instantly of apoplexy, July 26, 1823. His family, like their father, were all full-chested men, and all successful business men.
The house was enlarged by Jonathan, and finished in its present form by Tarrant. His son Nahum succeeded him, but soon sold to his brother Nathaniel, who married Mary Brown, and had Mary, born September 8, 1816, who married Waldo Putnam, the present owner of the place. Harriet born July 9, 1821, married Bradford Putnam, and had Harriet, now the wife of Peter H. Putnam. She married for second
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husband F. F. Sibley, son of Francis and Mary. This farm has been productive of great and good men. Waldo Putnam has had eleven children, only two of whom survive.
There used to be a house on the south part of this farm, built and owned by the Sibley's, but last occupied by Elijah Staunton.
Staunton was an eccentric genius, a cordwainer or shoemaker by trade. He used to go round "whipping the cat" as they styled it; i. e., making boots and shoes for the families in their own houses. He was noted for his odd sayings. His last sickness was in the winter. He was not quite ready to go, so he said, "If God will spare me now, I will make Him the best pair of boots that He ever had; it is too bad to have to die after living through such a winter." But alas, his attempted bribe availed him not! Poor blasphemous Staunton died.
The house now owned by William Donaldson was built by James Sibley, next owned by his son, Captain John Sib- ley, then by Archelaus Putnam, deeded by him to Nathan Lombard in 1805. He sold to Moses Holbrook in 1827.
Alanson Lombard bought it in 1831 and sold it to Joseph H. Putnam in 1836. Sumner Putnam bought it of his father and sold it to the present owner.
All of Nathan Putnam's children were born in this house, except Alanson, who was born in the north parish, near the old common. Mr. Lombard was a cabinet-maker, his shop stood where Mr. Mitchell's new house stands. He employed journeymen and apprentices. One of the latter, Clark Dalrimple, married Prudence Putnam, daughter of Aaron, and went to Providence, Rhode Island, where he became a wealthy broker. The body of this house was covered with shingles and painted red. It has been recently re-covered and painted by Mr. Donaldson.
There once stood in front of this house four large sycamore or buttonwood trees, the most noble of their kind, affording the most grateful shade for man and beast; for in their day, before railroads and iron horses came into use, loaded teams and tired droves of panting cattle passed under their extended branches, and were rested and refreshed. Many weary droves from beyond the Connecticut have halted there to cool their parched tongues. Even the droves from Kentucky have been refreshed by their shade.
For children and youth, young men and maidens, it was a favorite resort. But what was the fate of those noble trees ?
One who bought the place saw yoke timber in their trunks, so he cut them down and left the spot desolate. The beautiful trees were widely known and much missed and lamented by their numerous admirers.
TOWN OF SUTTON. - 213
Mr. Lombard's shop was made into a dwelling house, and owned by the Misses Richard. It was occupied by S. . Augustus Fuller, Nathan Bennett and others. It was sold to Mr. Mitchel, taken down and rebuilt; but before com- pleted in its present form, was burned in 1875. The present house, on same site, was commenced by Mr. Mitchel in 1876. He married the widow of Andrew J. Putnam.
Parley Putnam built a large house, on the opposite corner, which was used as a dwelling house and store. The store was kept, at one time, by Marcus M. Putnam. It was sold to S. J. Woodbury, and moved into the middle of the town ; then taken down by him and carried to Worcester. It had a tin roof and was known as "Tin Top."
Opposite this house and the school house, Nahum Sibley built a store. It was kept first by himself, then by William Crossman, afterwards by Peter H. Putnam. It was finished for a tenement, and occupied by Rufus Bacon and others. It was finally moved off by Merritt Cook. The present house, on the same site, was made of the West Sutton Literary Institute, brought from Sutton street by P. H. Putnam, in 1849. It now belongs to his widow, Mrs. Hannah Putnam.
On the site now owned by Mrs. Sumner Putnam, Isaac Putnam first built. He was there in 1730. He came from Danvers. It was afterwards known as the Phineas Putnam place ; next owned by Esq. Nathan Putnam. It was sold by his son, Captain Abner Putnam, to Captain Josiah Hall about 1816. The house was gone when Captain Hall bought. Jonathan Dudley, jr., bought the strip of land between the two roads of Captain Hall, and built the house now owned by his sister, Mrs. Putnam. It is said to have been built about 1838. Sumner Putnam bought the place of the heirs of Jonathan Dudley, jr. Jonathan and Sumner both died in this house.
The house where Oliver Hall now lives, owned by him and Robert Luther, was built by Nathan Putnam, Esq., in 1776, and was then considered the best house in town. Esquire Putnam had several children. One daughter
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married Stephen Marble, one married John Waters, one . married Amos Waters and died soon after, and one married John King.
Mrs. Nathan Putnam came from Salem. When they built the tombs at West Sutton she opposed the enterprise, though her husband was engaged in it. She said they had some just such tombs in Salem, and that they were neglected and became dilapidated, and that she had seen dogs carrying dead men's bones taken therefrom through the streets. She said these tombs would fall into ruin in the same way. The tombs were built and for a time were very popular. They even had a "Day of Resurrection," on which many already buried were disinterred and placed therein. Time passes on, their builders are dead, their friends are gone, the tomb-doors fall in, and the bones of the builders are exposed to the dogs as she predicted. The old tombs were complained of as a nuisance, and the court ordered the nuisance abated; so the tombs were torn down and the bones of the dead reinterred.
Esquire Putnam was noted for the great number of mar- riages he performed ; many couples were married by him in this house. He was second deacon of the first Congregational church. He carried on the scythe making business, and had a trip-hammer shop just east of the house, said to have been the first in the state. It was operated by horse-power.
Capt. Josiah Hall (son of Willis, son of Percival, son of John, son of widow Mary, who came from Coventry, Eng- land, about 1630), bought this farm, containing about 117 acres, with forty acres of woodland, of Capt. Abner Putnam, son of Nathan, in 1816. Capt. Hall resided here until his death. He died October 20, 1839, aged 80 years. He was a soldier of the revolution and a member of the first Con- gregational church. He retained all his faculties wonderfully to the end. He married Mary Marble (daughter of Malachi, son of Freegrace, son of Samuel) born in Sutton, February 24, 1763 ; died in this house, June 6, 1859. They had one son and several daughters. Their children were Oliver, born December 1, 1785. He married Cimene Carter, born in the north parish, October 19, 1789. She died in this house of cancer, June 14, 1851. She was daughter of Joshua Carter and his wife, Rachel Putnam, daughter of Isaac Putnam, jr., son of Isaac, who built the first house on this farm. Joshua Carter was son of Joshua Carter and his wife, Elizabeth Lovell. Polly, born April 7, 1788, married Alpheus Marble, and died in Millbury in her eighty-seventh year.
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Almira, born June 4, 1790, died September 12, 1795 ; Deborah, born June 18, 1793, died September 12, 1795. These children both died of canker-rash. Hannah, born Dec. 13, 1795, married Rufus Carter, and for second husband, Cyrus Falkner.
Mindwell, born February 8, 1798, married James Phelps. Anna, born June 17, 1800, died in Millbury, aged seventy.
Sarah, born May 7, 1804, died at Mr. Phelps', May 11, 1837, of canker-rash.
All of Captain Hall's children, as well as himself and his brothers and sisters, were born where John P. Stockwell now lives. Gardner, son of Oliver, was also born there, the place being deeded out of the Hall family the day of his birth, April 6, 1813, ninety-three years after its settlement by Deacon Percival Hall.
Oliver Hall has lived on this place more than sixty years .. All his children but two were born here. Julia Ann, now Mrs. S. D. King, was born at her grandfather Carter's in Millbury. Willis, now living in New York, was born here April 28, 1818. Josiah C., born September 11, 1820, married Jane E. Congdon, January 1, 1851; died in this house, July 4, 1861. Mary M., born March 8, 1822, mar- ried John F. Hinds ; died in Webster, October 13, 1853. Susan M., born June 3, 1824, married Robert Luther, May 10, 1848 ; died in this house October 21, 1876. Rufus C., born July 7, 1827, married Ann E. Dudley, May 25, 1853.
Frances A., born April 30, 1836, married Rev. Nicholas Medbery, Nov. 3, 1869. They now live in Dover, Mass.
Oliver Hall came in possession of this place by virtue of his father's will.
He has been a man of great ingenuity. He helped make the first pin- making machine that was ever made in this country. The inventor was Moses L. Morse. He was also a dye sinker, making stamps for parties in various parts of New England. He made also many surgical instruments, to order only. His pen-knives were very superior and much sought after when people used to make quill-pens. He was a dentist, too, and when pivot teeth were used, his were among the best.
He was town clerk of Sutton for fifteen years in succession, and an exam- ination of the town books would give sufficient evidence of his success in that capacity. He was appointed justice of the peace by Governor Boutwell in 1852. He is now in the ninety-second year of his age, yet able to give much valuable information for this history.
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Many little incidents of interest are connected with this place.
On Sunday, September 10, 1826, there was a wonderful shower of rain, the heaviest part of which fell in this school district. Although it lasted but - little over an hour, it made quite a flood. The rain poured in such torrents as to overflow the walls on the slope from Leonard Dodge's to the meadows now owned by Asa Dodge. Stones, larger than four oxen could draw, were moved fifteen or twenty feet. The roads were badly gullied and much dam- age was done. Dr. Smith came along, soon after the shower, and his horse had to wade in the water knee-deep on the flat, in front of this house, where water has not been seen to stand since.
In June, 1831, a tornado, commencing on Manchaug Pond, passed through Asa Putnam's woods and across the lots to Perley Waters'. In its passage, it spared nothing that came in its way. It tore up trees by the roots, break- ing off branches eight inches in diameter, carrying them one hundred feet into the air, and scattering them all about. It struck an old cider-mill - located near where Asa Dodge's hog-house now stands -filled with lumber which Rufus Bacon had been accumulating to build him a house, entirely demolishing the whole thing. The building, lumber and all -the lumber principally boards -was split into slivers and scattered broadcast over acres of land. Even the mowing lots of Captain Hall were covered with the debris; the slivers sticking upon the grass like the teeth of many inverted har- rows.
Just as the wind struck the cider-mill, Paris Tourtellott opened the west barn doors, in order to drive in out of the rain. His wagon was loaded with pike-poles, for it was the day he raised his house at West Sutton. When he opened the doors on the west end, the wind made a larger opening on the north side, taking out about thirty feet, leaving him outside in a literal shower of pitch-forks and pike-poles. "When I reached him," says one who went to his aid, " he was the palest live man I ever saw; his hat was gone, his face was speckled with small pieces of green leaves, as nicely adjusted as so many patches of court-plaster. The hind part of his wagon was down in the pasture below the barn, and the pike-poles were scattered hither and thither. The seat of his wagon was found some forty rods away in Capt. Hall's orchard."
When Esquire Putnam built his house, he hired Abner Sibley to set some elm trees around his yard. Six of them now stand in front of the house. When the tornado struck these trees, raising their branches high and almost transforming them into the shape of Lombardy poplars, it found its match. They were too strong even for a whirlwind. They severed it in twain, its feeble branches passing one each side of the house. The salvation of the house and perhaps of its inmates, is due to these noble centennial trees. There they have stood one hundred years, a living monument to the enterprise of Nathan Putnam and his faithful employe, Abner Sibley. Though Putnam and Sibley are both dead, these beautiful trees still live, coeval with our national inde- pendence. There let them stand, never to shed their dew-drop tears over the death of our great republic.
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When Susan Hall married and went to live among strangers in West Brookfield in 1848, her eldest brother addressed to her the following lines on the old homestead :
"I much revere the rural place, That gave thee life and growth and grace. Six tow'ring elms majestic stand To mark the spot, where hand in hand, We spent our happy childhood hours,
In happy mirth beneath their bowers. Those verdant fields with harvest shocks, I love them all, their very rocks! If there's a hallowed spot on earth "Tis that which gave us all our birth."
He adds :
" Although two of us were not born here, we came here when too young to remember an earlier home, consequently it seems the birtli-place of us all."
There have been four deaths in the house since 1816.
The estate now owned by Asa P. Dodge was first owned by Jephthah Putnam, next by his son, Fuller Putnam, then by his son John, who sold to Peter, son of Edward. Peter Putnam gave it to his daughters, Fanny and Persis. Fanny married Parley Waters. Persis married Rufus Bacon, jr. Parley Waters tore down the old long-roofed house and built a new one about 1830. They sold to Waldo Putnam; he was succeeded by his sons, Marcus M. and Elijah ; they by the present owner. .
John Putnam, son of Fuller, had three wives and many children, several of whom died young.
Among the first wife's children were John, jr. (who mar- ried Nancy Cummings, and had five children ; of those John Perry and Jane only survive) and Sylvanus. One daughter married Otis · Morse ; one married Joseph Putnam : one married Peter Stockwell. John Putnam's first wife was a Waters, daughter of Amos and Abigail. His second wife was widow Ann Cox, maiden name Powers. She was a large, resolute woman, with whom he did not well agree; so he gave her the little farm where Bethuel Leonard now lives, and married widow Dorcas Collar, daughter of Peter Sibley. He had one son by his second wife, Harry, a fine, promising young man, who took a sudden cold from washing sheep - had rheumatic fever and died, much lamented by all who
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knew him. He had by his third wife two daughters, Ruth and Esther. Ruth married Freeman F. Sibley ; Esther died single.
John Putnam lived in Ward, now Auburn, at one time ; his son Sylvanus was born there, January 24, 1791. He married Betsey Elliot (daughter of Aaron, son of Aaron, son of Joseph), October 15, 1826. They had four children. Mary died young ; Ira was noted for his great strength ; he died single. Julia married Rev. Mr. Barber. Sarah Maria married Franklin F. Sibley. Two of their daughters have recently given the valedictory on graduating at the Sutton high school.
Sylvanus Putnam held many town offices and represented the town in the legislature.
John Putnam and Sylvanus carried on a brick-yard in Cumberland, R. I., several seasons. After he sold to Peter he bought the Nathaniel Putnam place, where John Perry Putnam now lives; two of his daughters were born there. Sylvanus' children were all born there, and there he and his wife both died. John Putnam died there, and from there both wives followed him as mourners, in the same carriage, to his grave. Dorcas afterward married Nathaniel Putnam.
Sylvanus Putnam married Persis Harback for his second wife. After Peter Putnam bought this place it was occupied by many different families.
Simeon Hathaway lived here. Hon. James O. Eaton, now of Lodi, Wisconsin, was born in this house in 1818. His mother was Alice, daughter of Simeon Hathaway ; she married Samuel Eaton. Captain Reuben Waters lived here several years. He was son of Amos and Abigail, born February 1, 1768, died September 12, 1842; he married Tamar Sibley, daughter of Gideon and Tamar, June 28, 1795 ; born in Sutton, April 9, 1776 ; died December 25, 1803. Their sons were Colonel Reuben, Ensign Parley and Russell, all scythe-makers by trade. Colonel Reuben held many civil and military offices. He now lives in Web- ster. Captain Waters married for second wife Widow Molly Cummings, daughter of Timothy Sibley. They had three children, Abner, Mary and Linus. Capt. Waters was a
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blacksmith and worked in Capt. Hall's shop. Arthur Sibley, Christopher Ambler, Joseph Severy and Lewis Putnam also lived in this house.
When the central turnpike was built in 1827, Capt. Luke Wells, of Whately, and Harry Anderson, of Hatfield, contracted to build the mile east from Sutton - Street; so they hired this house and boarded their own help, which consisted of respectable young men hired from among their neighbors. Their engineer was Ozias Norcross, a good mathematician.
Waldo Putnam lived here several years, and some of his children were born here. Julius E. Bacon, master of trans- portation on the Providence and Worcester railroad was born here.
There once stood a house on the site a little south of where Newell Sherman now lives ; it was owned, and prob- ably built, by one Gould.
A great feat in cider-drinking is spoken of as having occurred there. Four men visited him for a social chat. He tapped a fresh barrel of pleasant cider, and they commenced drinking early in the evening, and kept at it all night. In the morning, one of them went for another mug, but found the barrel empty. So the five men had the credit of drinking a barrel of cider in one night. Probably they became careless of the tap and gave the cellar-bottom " a single drop."
The estate was bought of Gould by Peter Putnam, who built an addition to the house or a new one near it. The new house has been moved, and is the one now owned by Newell Sherman.
This house was occupied by Captain Peter Putnam, jr. He had three wives and twelve children, all born in this house except Sarah.
His first wife was Patty Putnam, daughter of David, son of Fuller. Her oldest son, Marble, distinguished himself as a popular tavern-keeper. He kept in various places, among them the Farnsworth House, in Millbury, the Brom- field House, in Boston, and two of the most popular houses in Keene, New Hampshire. He left a handsome estate.
The second son, Waldo, is now living in Sutton.
The third child was a daughter, Patty Waters Putnam, a most beautiful girl, and a great favorite.
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