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 27
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The Messrs. Putnam also erected two houses in connection with the shop, one of which is now occupied by John Met- calf and is owned by the Whitinsville Company ; the other stands upon the same side of the road, and is owned by the same company. The water privilege at this place was sold by Col. Reuben Waters to Mr. Rogerson of Uxbridge, and by him to the Whitinsville Manufacturing Company, who are the present owners.
There was another water privilege below this one, upon which Lewis Torrey erected a shop for the manufacture of scythes, which he made for several years, and then sold out to Harrison Sibley, who continued the business for a time, then converted the building into a shoddy mill, soon after
* Since writing the above the Torrey school district has been re-established.
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which it was burned down. This privilege was afterward purchased by Emmon Carpenter, who erected another build- ing considerably larger than the former one, which was used by him and others for manufacturing Kentucky jeans. This mill shared the same fate of the other after a few years.
This privilege has since been owned by the Oxford Bank and the Manchaug Company, who are the present owners.
ELDER WILLARD FULLER'S PLACE.
This place was first owned by Benjamin Robbins, and has since been owned by Elder Willard Fuller and Mary E. Fuller, who is the present owner. The first house on this place was erected by Mr. Robbins in 1806, and the present one by Mr. Fuller about 1854. On this place there was a Freewill Baptist church, erected by Mr. Fuller and others, which was taken down in 1876.
Connected with this place is a burial ground, and on the headstones are found the names, Fuller, Moore, Putnam, Metcalf, Parker, Dudley, Cook, etc.
JOHN O. PARKER'S PLACE.
This house was fitted up by Lewis Torrey for a tenement house, and purchased of him by John O. Parker, who has made several additions to it.
AARON STOCKWELL PLACE.
The earliest knowledge which we have .of this place, it was owned by Aaron Stockwell, senior, who erected a small house upon it, which has since been enlarged by Aaron Stockwell, jr. The place is now owned by the heirs of Mr. Stockwell.
IRA DARLING'S FARM.
This place was first owned by Lot Simpson, who com- menced building upon it, but afterward conveyed it to Ira Darling, the present owner. Mr. Darling erected most of the buildings now on the place.
ROYAL KEITH'S PLACE.
This place was first owned by Aaron Darling, who built the house now standing upon the premises. It has since been owned by Ira Darling and Royal Keith, the present
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owner. On this place there has been recently erected a blacksmith's shop, where the business is carried on by Benj. O. Paine, who married a daughter of Mr. Keith.
TUCKER PLACE.
The earliest knowledge we have of this place, it was owned by Cyrus and Peter Darling, and since by Capt. Moses Thayer, Col. Earle, Ebenezer Tucker, Ebenezer E. Tucker and sister, F. F. Sibley and the heirs of Ebenezer E. Tucker, and was conveyed by A. W. Putnam (as guardian of said heirs) to the Manchaug Company, who are the present owners. On this place there have been erected three saw mills, the two first having been burned, and the last taken down recently; the two last mills also had shingle mills connected with them.
SOUTH SUTTON, DISTRICT NO. 7.
Commencing at the eastern limit of the district, the first place we notice belongs to John Fuller, and is the old home- stead built by Wm. Hewett, or his father when Mr. Hewett was a young man. Mr. Hewett had several sons, viz : Daniel Hewett, who died in Auburn; Eli, who died in Northbridge ; Hammond, Henry and Phinehas. All lived to be old men.
Valentine G. Hewett, grandson of William, remodeled the house, new covered, painted, etc., and sold to John Fuller, the present owner.
Lawson Taylor, son of James of Northbridge, built the house he occupies, in 1853, which stands on the west side of a beautiful plain, some hundred and fifty feet above the meadow, and his farm is on the plain or table land. Mr. Taylor spent several years in California during the gold excitement, about 1850, and had a somewhat successful experience in gold digging.
Mr. Taylor has been twice married, and has one son, James.
Orrin Hewett, son of Eli, built the house where George H. Hewett lives, in 1852. George H. bought the place in 1871, and erected a fine barn, in which he has a paint shop
SOUTH SUTTON.
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and sleigh manufactory. George H. is the son of Valentine G. Hewett. He married Miss Lydia Houghton, daughter of L. A. Houghton.
Charles Dorr came to this town from Boston about the year 1816, and lived in the west part of the district for many years. He was a carpenter, and in 1858 built the house occupied by George W. Albee, and lived here until his death.
The house occupied by Rev. Joseph P. Burbank, on the top of " Boomer Hill," so called, was built by Elder Job B. Boomer in 1829. Elder Boomer became pastor of the Baptist church in South Sutton about the year 1816, and continued as such for thirty years. He married Nancy, daughter of James McClellan. They had two daughters and two sons : Nancy Mcclellan, Amelia, Lucian and George Boardman. Nancy married Hon. John Daggett of Attleboro', June 18, 1840; Amelia married a Mr. Stone of Cleveland, Ohio; Lucien went west and became a partner with his brother-in-law in the bridge-building business, and is now president of the Illinois Bridge Company at Chicago.
George Boardman Boomer, the youngest son, went west while quite young to work for his brother-in-law in collecting lumber, and at the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861 was living in the Arkansas River country, Arkan- sas. At the call for troops he responded and raised a company among his acquaintances and became their captain. He was in many battles, in all of which he was distinguished for bravery and skill in command. He was pro- moted to the brigadier-generalship, and killed in one of the battles before Vicksburg. His remains were brought to Worcester and interred. A fine monument has been erected to his memory. The remains of his father and mother repose in the same cemetery.
After Mr. Boomer, Percival Taylor owned the place and lived there until his death. Mr. Taylor married Miss Hannah Holbrook. They had three children : James, George and Maudana. Rev. Mr. Burbank has preached at the Baptist church for several years past.
The next place west of the Boomer house was built by Sumner B. Hewett about 1841. It is now owned by Mrs. Jonathan Sprague. Sumner B. Hewett married Miss Mary E. Allen. They had four children : Mary Allen, Sumner Barstow, Amanda and Warren. Mr. Hewett was by trade a
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millwright, and served apprenticeship with William Hall. Later he became a plow-maker and worked for the firm of B. Martin & Co. at South Sutton, then at Waterford, Groton Junction, and lastly at Cleveland, Ohio. The family moved west to Goldfield, Wright County, Iowa. where he died in 1877. His son, Sumner B. is, or was a year ago, judge of probate for Wright County, Iowa.
Jonathan Sprague, born Oct. 6, 1801, married Oct. 26, 1826, Miss Mary Anne Whipple, daughter of Welcome Whipple, Esq., grand-daughter of Deacon John, and great- grand-daughter of John Whipple of Cumberland, R. I. Their children are. Welcome Whipple, born February 16, 1828; Homer Baxter. Oct. 19, 1829; Frances Maria, Sept. 13, 1831 ; Charles A., February 24, 1834; Solon Smith, March 5, 1836 ; Mary A., February 8, 1838; Jonathan A., May 20, 1844 ; Flora Emma, February 5, 1847 ; Philander A., February 4, 1849.
Homer B. Sprague fitted for college at Leicester academy, graduated at Yale in the class of 1852, receiving the DeForest prize, a gold medal of the value of one hundred dollars, given for the best written and spoken composition ; studied law at New Haven, came to Worcester and formed a law partnership with District Attorney Matthews. After the death of Matthews he became principal of the Worcester high school. From Worcester he went to New Haven and established himself in the practice of law.
When the war of the rebellion was inaugurated by the attack upon Fort Sumter, his voice gave forth no uncertain sound. He did much to inspire patriotism and secure enlistment. At the organization of the thirteenth Connecticut infantry he marched to the barracks with the "Welsh Rifles," a fine company he had raised in New Haven, and of which he had been elected captain. He was promoted Major, Oct. 5, 1863, and Lieut. Col. Nov. 5, 1863. His regiment was ordered to the department of the gulf, and left New Haven for Ship Island March 17, 1862. It reached its destination April 13, and remained in active service in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi until July 1864, when it returned to Connecticut on veteran furlough. While on duty in the department of the gulf it bore a prominent part in the following
engagements : Georgia Landing, La., Oct. 27, 1862; Irish Bend, La., April 14, 1863; Port Hudson, La., May 24, 1863; Port Hudson, La., June 14, 1863; Cane River, La., April 23, 1864; Mansura, La., May 16, 1864. In August it was again ordered to the seat of war, and joined the army of the Shenandoah, under General Sheridan. In the battle of Winchester, Sept. 19, Lieut. Col. Sprague commanded the regiment, which was in a part of the field the most fiercely contested, and consequently exposed to a tremendous fire. His horse was shot under him, and he led his regiment on foot.
It was the plan of Gen. Early to cut Sheridan's army in two, and then defeat it in detail. To accomplish his object he massed his forces and struck a terri- ble blow upon the position held by Gen. Grover's division. Sheridan sent an
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order to hold the point at all hazards. By some unexplained blunder* an order to retreat ran along the lines of Gen. Grover's division, and the regiments fell sullenly back. Col. Sprague with a few brave men made a desperate stand, but were overpowered and captured. Col. Sprague was taken first to Libby prison, afterward to Andersonville. Upon his release he again resumed com- mand of his regiment, which in January 1865 was transferred to Savannah, Ga., and served in the state of North Carolina, doing provost and guard duty until April 25, 1866, when it was mustered out, being the last of the Connect- icut regiments in the service. Col. Sprague has written a history of his regi- ment, which is a model of excellence in its line, and a valuable contribution to the literature of the war. Since the war he has been engaged in the profes- sion of teaching.
In 1867 he was chosen principal of the state normal school at New Britain, which position he held until offered a professorship in Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. From Ithaca he went to Brooklyn, New York, and became principal of the Adelphi Academy, which position he held until the Beecher excitement, when he resigned and entered the lecture field, in which he remained for a year or more, one of the most instructive and popular lecturers of the day. He is now principal of the girls normal school, Boston, Massachu- setts.
The next place west, where Mrs. Williams lives, was built by Jonas Batcheller and Elder Jones in 1859.
At the corner of the roads to East Douglas and Whitins- ville is a store built by Deacon Pliny Johnson, made partly from the shoe-shop moved from the other side of the road, and is now owned by Pliny F. Johnson of Westerly, R. I. A few years ago a stock company was formed to manufacture boots and shoes, under the name of the South Sutton Boot and Shoe Company, with Deacon Johnson, president ; John C. Johnson, treasurer, and Moses L. Johnson, agent ; but it survived for only a year or two, and made a bad failure. Upon the closing up of this company another was formed under the firm name of Knox.and Walker, but this, like its predecessor, soon went into bankruptcy. Since the last failure the shop has been used as a grocery store and tene- ment.
The house owned and occupied by Leonard Dorr was built by Deacon Pliny Johnson in 1851, and has passed through many hands. It was owned for a time by Cimene Green- wood of Northbridge, and later by Rufus, son of Daniel Fuller.
* See History of Connecticut, during the Rebellion.
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Leonard Dorr is the son of the late Charles Dorr, who removed to Sutton from Boston about sixty-eight years since.
The Baptist meeting-house in this district was built about seventy-five years since, mainly by the Batchellers.
Originally it was a plain unpainted building, with a porch on the south side. Within, the construction was after the old style. The prominent seat was for the deacons; the pews were of square form with seats upon three sides, and the pulpit was so high that the head of the preacher nearly touched the ceiling.
When this pulpit was finished it is said that Elder William Batcheller rode up the steps of the church on horseback to the open door, and pointing to the lofty pulpit, said to his horse, " There ! see where your master is going to stand."
The church has been thoroughly repaired, modernized and made quite attractive as well as convenient.
Apropos of these high pulpits, we recall a little story which we heard told in childhood by a venerable D. D., designed to illustrate the fact that Satan sometimes obtrudes himself into the most sacred places. He said, "I was once called upon to preach in an old church which had an exceedingly high pulpit. As I ascended the stairs, going up, up, up, to my dismay these words came into my mind :
' Jack and Gill went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water, Jack fell down and broke his crown And Gill came tumbling after.'
"In vain I bade the tempter 'get thee behind me;' he would do no such thing, but continued his infamous suggestions. I rose to make the invocation, and as I looked down upon my audience so far below me, I began my address to the Searcher of Hearts with these words uppermost in thought:
' Jack fell down and broke his crown And Gill came tumbling after.' "
Opposite the church stood the old school-house. This house was at first located on a high hill fronted by a steep bank, which in icy time was the scene of many an amusing slip and slide in the " days of yore," when the winter school was attended more than now by the " large boys and girls."
At one end of the school-room was a huge fireplace that would take in "four foot wood;" at the other end the teacher's desk, flanked on each side by a desk for scholars.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
On the sides of the room, running the entire length, with the exception of a narrow space for passing behind, were desks, raised two steps from the floor, for the larger scholars. Behind these desks were benches made from plank or slabs, without backs ; in front of them were low benches for the small children. The center of the room was unoccupied, only as some lazy or refractory boy or girl was called out for punishment.
A common punishment for girls was to study with a book or ruler on the head, which they were directed to keep in position.
Boys would sometimes be required to fasten their eyes upon a nail in the floor and " hold it down with one finger." Occasionally one who had incurred the peculiar wrath of the teacher, would be called upon to "ride the stone horsc." This achievement consisted in occupying, at the same time, five round smooth stones, one as a seat and one for each of the hands and feet ; a performance which, it is needless to say, was generally found a somewhat difficult one to- go through with gracefully.
Whether the stone horse was ever introduced into the " Quabbin " school-house we cannot say.
In 1843 the school-house was repaired, in what was then the modern style. This house was burned by an incendiary in 1875.
A new one, and finely furnished, was built on the Man- chaug road in 1876.
The house where Fred P. Burr lives was owned and probably built by a man of the name of Lackey, a brother of Matthew Lackey, who came from Upton to Sutton in the latter part of the last century.
Mr. Lackey sold to the Batchellers, who also came from Upton, and it remained the Batcheller place until Stephen Crossman bought it in 1816.
The Batchellers were hop growers, and had a fine building for kiln-drying hops, which stood for many years after Mr. Crossman bought it. In 1817 Mr. Crossman moved upon the farm where, with the exception of seven years spent at Pleasant Falls, from 1830 to 1837, he remained until his
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death, July 27, 1851. Stephen Crossman was son of Elijah and Rebeckah, born June 21, 1779, and grandson of Noah Crossman, who it is said came from Taunton to Sutton about 1750. (See Crossman genealogy.)
Ferdinand J. F. Crossman, son of Martin L. and Experience, was brought up by his grandmother Crossman, on this place. He enlisted at Cambridge, Aug. 19, 1862, in Andrew's first company of sharp-shooters, and went into camp at Cambridge. He left camp for Washington Dec. 1st, where he remained but a short time.
He was in the first battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 11, 1862. He was stationed at Falmouth during the winter, and was again in the battle of Fredericksburg June 11, 1863. During this battle a ball passed through his hat, and one of his . fingers was shattered by a bullet. Lysander Martin, a young man of great promise, enlisted with him, and was at this time by his side. They occupied an advanced position behind some fallen trees, or stumps, and were firing through small apertures, and took turns in watching the firing of the enemy.
Ferdinand retreated just over a knoll to have his finger attended to, but soon returned to find his companion prostrated on the ground, having been wounded by a ball which entered his cheek, knocking out several teeth, and came out at the back of the neck. A general retreat was now ordered, and the wounded who were able marched off the field, and others were huddled into wagons and carried off, Martin among these, who died of his wound the nineteenth. At Gettysburg, Crossman was in the battle from July first to the fourth, and from this field was sent to Harper's Ferry.
He spent the winter in the hospital at Washington, D. C., taking care of the sick and wounded. In the spring, May 3, 1864, he rejoined the army, and was in the battle of the Wilderness from the fifth to the seventh. At the battle of Spotsylvania Court house he was taken prisoner, carried to Columbia, from thence to Andersonville, where he died Aug. 8, 1864.
Mrs. F. J. F. Crossman married Frederick P. Burr, Jan. 12, 1866. He was a soldier in the Union army. They have one daughter, Ida R., born Nov. 17, 1870.
The house where Lysander Houghton lived was built by Matthew Lackey, who came from Upton about 1750.
Mr. Lackey had a large family : see genealogy. After his death the place was sold to Ebenezer Cook, who also raised a large family. Ira Cook of Oxford was a son of Ebenezer.
Lysander Houghton married Lydia White of Northbridge, and they had four.children : Mahlon, Chilion, Vernon, Lydia and Merrick. Chilion married Miss Darling, daughter of Ira Darling. He enlisted in the company of Andrew's sharp- shooters and served through the war. He is now a dentist. Mrs. Lydia Houghton died in the fall of 1876, and Lysander Jan. 4, 1878.
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At the place owned by A. F. Brown, Esq., Mr. Timothy Martin lived until about eighty years of age. Timothy was the son of Abel Martin, who lived and died on this place. Abel Martin married for his second wife Eunice Crossman. His son Timothy married Sukey Crossman, daughter of Noah and Huldah. They had three children, two of whom died young, and a son, Benjamin, who died in 1877 in the west. His wife died in the fall of 1826, and he married for a second wife, Miss Rachel Darling, and they had two sons. Darius and Lysander. Lysander was killed in battle, as stated on a preceding page. Benjamin Martin was the plow-maker already alluded to on another page.
The next place on this road is owned by Lewis Hopkins of Linwood. The house was built by Timothy Hewett as early as 1773.
Timothy H. had a large family. He was a basket maker. His son Timothy, born Nov. 22, 1773, had a son Timothy born in 1803, who married Lavina, daughter of Daniel Leonard. Their children are, Edwin C., born Nov. 1, 1828 ; Alfred Francis, born Sept. 20, 1831 ; Richard Lysander, born Feb. 20, 1833 ; Milton Oscar, born Feb. 15, 1838 ; Tamar, born May 2, 1842.
Edwin C. graduated at the Normal school, Bridgewater, and became a teacher in the school, and was transferred to Pittsfield. He returned to Bridgewater, and subsequently was in Worcester as principal of the high school. In 1858 he went to Illinois to take a professorship in the Normal school at Normal, Illinois; a position he held until 1876, when, upon the resignation of President Edwards, he was elected president, and this position he now holds.
George Jones was brought up at Mr. Hewett's and became the owner of the place after Timothy senior died. He mar- ried Sarah Bryant and had several children. The house was burned in 1876.
There were five other houses on this road, the sites of which are marked by cellar-holes nearly filled, and the lower portions of the chimneys, in which the rude stone fireplaces still remain, sad reminders of the unknown and now broken circles that once gathered round them.
At one place near the woods lived Elethan Jones, who had a large family of children. The house was burned and the
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barn torn down. Samuel and Consider Bryant lived at this place for a number of years, and sold to Jesse Leonard, who died here, and his heirs were lately the owners of the land.
The place where Leonard F. Everett lives was first owned by David Burt, who built the house a hundred years ago and died there. Mr. Burt came from Taunton, and had a large family of children; among them Benjamin, who died in Northbridge in 1874; Ellis, who died in town a few years since ; and Samuel, who married Polly Cook and had three children, Richmond, Julius and Juliet. Mr. Everett mar- ried first Miss Freelove Darling. They have had three children, Mahlon, Albert and Susan. Albert went to the war in the fifteenth regiment. Mr. Everett married second Mrs. Mann, whose son was in the battle of Bull Run and never heard of after.
White and Barrows bought the place on the hill back of the school house of John Casey in 1867, and Casey bought of Timothy Hewett, jr., in 1865.
This was the homestead of Jesse Jones, who probably built the house in the last century, as they were old people and lived in an old house sixty years ago. Elethan and Leonard were his sons.
The house owned by Jerman Houghton was built by Dr. John G. Johnson in 1852. Mr. Houghton is a son of Wm. Houghton.
Pliny F. Johnson, now of Westerly, Rhode Island, built the house owned by him near the corner, in 1864. Mr. Johnson kept a store here for several years. He married first Julia, daughter of Stephen Cole, and for his second wife a Miss Mann.
The house on the corner, owned by Mrs. Deacon Pliny Johnson, was taken down at the Lackey place and put up here by Deacon Johnson. The old house was moved across the road for a shop.
Mr. Johnson had a large family of children : Pliny F., John G., Emily, Eliza, Moses, George, Carew, Danforth, Elmira and Sapphira. Deacon Johnson was a shoemaker, and with his large family of boys and girls, turned out a great many pairs daily. He did much for the support of the gospel. Samuel Williams lived in the old house many years.
EMERSON, SC. IVA
RESIDENCE OF HORACE BATCHELLER.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
Julia Woodis owns the old red house, but no one knows its history.
The next house, owned by Mrs. Daniel Kelley, was built by Daniel Kelley about 1866.
The house which. Horace Batcheller owns and lets, was built by Thomas Carlin in 1854 or '55. Thomas Carlin married Miss Lovina Leonard.
The house owned by Henry Williams was built by Henry Dorr in 1847. Henry Williams is son of Alpheus and Clarissa, and grandson of Samuel Williams.
The house that Joseph Wheatley owns and lets was put up in 1831 by Richard Hewett, who was the son of Timothy and grandson of Timothy Hewett, senior. He married Mirandah Crossman in 1826 and had two sons, Croyden and Lowel. The last died in infancy.
Mrs. Hewett died in the fall of 1830, and he married for his second wife Electa Ross. Croydon died in Paris, Oneida county, New York, in 1868.
Horace Batcheller built his own house in 1876-77, on the corner of the Douglas and Manchaug road. There was a small house on the same site built by his father, Warren Batcheller, in 1838. Warren Bateheller was a successful contractor. He built many fine roads, and was for a long time employed in the excavation of the Blackstone canal. He died, and was carried to his burial March 30, 1873, from the house he built.
The house of Mr. Horace Batcheller, a view of which is given, is intended for a summer boarding house and hotel, and is finely fitted for the purpose. It has accommodations for thirty boarders; and when its ease of access, con- venience, and the attractions of the surrounding region are known, it can hardly fail of being a popular resort for those seeking recreation among rural scenes of peculiar beauty.
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