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 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
47
370
HOMES OF THE
- single lustrum, and holding now for a second time its session in this great- hearted capital. There is no need of saying that his name is James H. Armsby. God bless him! for he is blessing God's earth, and the world is better that he lives in it."
The house now owned by John S. Burnap was built by Lot Simpson, next owned by Henry Bright Harback, then by James King, then by Daniel Harback, and occupied by his son Captain Charles Harback. D. Harback deeded it to John Burnap in 1821. Mr. B. bought on eleven acres of Silas Armsby, making a farm of forty-three acres. Mr. Burnap died here Feb. 2, 1864, aged seventy-six.
John S., the present owner, has much improved the place. Some miners during the present year commenced sinking a shaft here, hoping to find silver, but the enterprise has been abandoned.
Joseph Woodbury first settled on the place now owned by B. A. Whitcomb ; he was succeeded by Benjamin Wood- bury, next Benjamin, jr. ; then his heirs sold to Rufus King, he to Asa Hall, he to Otis Hall; next owned by J. S. Bur- nap, sold by him to Rev. Elijah Brigham, and occupied by his son, Dr. John Brigham; sold by him to Bainbridge A. Whitcomb of Providence, the present owner. Mr. W. has recently built a fine mansion on the place, besides large barns ; he has also moved and repaired the old house, now occupied by his farmer, Mr. Cady. He has plowed and fer- tilized nearly the entire farm.
On the place now owned by Newell Wedge, Deacon Per- cival Hall settled his son Stephen, who moved from there to where John Armsby now lives, in 1753. It was next owned by Mr. Potter, then by Thomas Harback, then by Leland and Brigham, blacksmiths. Jacob Brigham deeded it to Joshua Armsby in 1795. The present house was built by Joshua Armsby, jr., about 1824, the shop in 1835, and the barn in 1839. Joshua Armsby, sen., was educated for the ministry, but for some reason never engaged in the duties of his profession ; but retired, lived and died on this beautiful farm. His son Joshua was a carpenter and machinist. He was for several years superintendent of the Wilkinsonville factories ; was for three terms representative in the legisla-
371
TOWN OF SUTTON.
ture, and held various town offices. His son Joshua was engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements at Worcester; where he accumulated a fortune, built several blocks, and died much honored and lamented. One of his daughters married Newell Wedge, a graduate of Amherst College in the class of 1840. Mr. W. has taken a deep interest in the education of the young, has taught a number of years in town, been on school committee, and done much
M
RESIDENCE OF NEWELL WEDGE.
to improve our schools. He has now retired upon this attractive place, and is bringing his intelligence to bear in the cultivation of the soil. His crops reveal the skill of the hands at work, especially those of fruits and vegetables.
He has two daughters, Sarah E. and Mary A., well educated and successful teachers.
The next place east, now owned by James Prentice, was first setttled by John Day, who sold to Nathaniel Cheney,
372
HOMES OF THE
who set out the big elm in front of the house in 1775. Nathaniel Cheney, jr., succeeded his father and lived there until his death. The estate was sold to James Prentice in 1867.
Mr. Prentice was born in Scotland, but came to Sutton and bought a place on the turnpike below Samuel Hall's, in 1835. Said house was built by Stephen Hall, son of Stephen. .son of Percival, and next owned by Lucas Chamberlain, then by Edmund Day, who sold to Prentice. Mr. Prentice has a remarkable family, all of whom attended school in the " old stone," yet, strange as it may seem, none of them were born in Sutton.
Professor George Prentice of Middletown College, con- sidered one of the ripest scholars in the country, was born in . Fisherville, Grafton. He graduated at Wilbraham, and finished his education in Germany. His youngest sister. Laura, has also been to Germany and France, attending school six months in each place, and all by her own efforts. She now teaches in the normal school at Westfield. Two of his children were born in Millbury and two in Webster. To memorize was the forte of the Prentice children. When the Rev. J. W. Lee was preaching here, he offered as a prize . a nice bible to the Sabbath-school scholar who should commit the most verses in the bible. So many entered zealously for the prize, but after the first recitation withdrew, because they said Helen Prentice had learned the whole bible, and only stopped her recitation when there was time to hear no more. The wife of Professor Prentice fell over fifty feet from the cliff of Purgatory, July 7, 1876, and so injured her spine that she died in a few weeks åt this place .*
Stephen Hall, son of Percival, built the house where John Armsby now lives, in 1752. He was succeeded by his son Stephen, and he by his son William, he by his son-in-law, J. P. Stockwell, who sold to the present owner. It was in the Hall family more than one hundred years. Mr. William Hall was a millwright by trade, and a wealthy and- worthy citizen. .
* See sketch of Purgatory, in District No. 5.
Sincerely ys. r. Reuben Rawson Dodge
373
TOWN OF SUTTON.
The present owner is a son of Joshua Armsby, already mentioned.
On the place now owned by Reuben R. Dodge, Deacon Percival Hall settled his grandson, James McClellan. He was succeeded by his son, Deacon James McClellan, who was succeeded by his son, Major John McClellan, who sold to the present owner in 1865, and now lives in Grafton.
The Mcclellans were in possession of the place for more than one hundred and ten years. Deacon James was a large, good-natured man, and very successful in every undertaking. He used to have an ashery on this place, and made potash for the Boston market, which he himself carted. He built the large house which was burned March 9, 1875. His farm was one of the best in town. He owned much real estate away from the home place. His son Major John was also born here ; since he went to Grafton he has represented that district in the legislature, and is a worthy and prominent man in the town. Like his father, he has been deacon of the Baptist church. It is said that he and his father both made it a rule to give one hundred dollars a year for the support of their church. They both had large families.
Mr. Reuben Rawson Dodge came into possession of the place in 1865. In the spring of 1875 the old mansion was destroyed by fire, and the present beautiful and commodious house was built upon the same site. Mr. Dodge is an enthu- siastic 'antiquarian, " and especially interested in family genealogies and town historics." He has been for many years a member of the New England Historical and Genealo- gical Society, Boston. November 3, 1873, he was elected a corresponding member of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Mr. Dodge's farm extends to Manilaus Hill. This hill was the site where once stood one of the first houses built in town. It was begun by Benoni Chase, who went there with his axe and crowbar to make an opening in the then dense forest.
He got lost and wandered about until he found the cabin of a cousin in what is now Northbridge ; after that he went to his work by marked trees. He soon sold out to his nephew,
374
HOMES OF THE
Deacon Seth Chase, who was succeeded by his son, and then by his son's son, Nathan Chase. It was next owned by Benoni Wilmarth, then Benjamin Carlton, once a deputy sheriff; then Jacob Dodge bought it and took the house down in 1833. Standing upon this hill, Mr. Hall writes :
" When I arrived on this hill I was led to exclaim in the language of another, "Heavens! what a goodly prospect spreads around, of hills and dales, and woods and lawns and spires." It presents some of the most enchanting scenery to be found in the world.
From this hill you look down upon the beautiful valley of the Blackstone, and in the distance view the hills of New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Con- necticut, with the varying landscape that intervenes. All around in every direction, to where the misty horizon limits the view, we behold the beauties of nature and the improvements of art. Nor is distance necessary to give enchant- ment to the prospect. The near-by well walled and well cultivated fields, carpeted with living green, the fruits and flowers, the green pastures and the lowing herds, all conspire to fill us with admiration for the fathers, who cleared and cultivated them, as well as for every succeeding generation whose works have followed them:
Then the many spires pointing heavenward, which we see from this stand - point, are reminders of Him who giveth the increase, who maketh the sun to shine and the rain to refresh the earth. Now, from this spot where the hopeful Benoni wandered and was lost in the woods, we behold the march of civilization and improvement. Where the red man and the wild beast prowled in the days of yore, in deadly fear of each other, we see the white man and Christian, with his domestic animals, living in peace and quiet. Where the brakes and wild-briers once grew, we see the beautiful fields and cultivated grasses; the bog hoe succeeded by the mowing-machine, the tedder and the horse-rake, while the nodding grain falls before the two-horse reaper and is threshed and winnowed by a like power. If you stand here at high noon, instead of the howling wolf you hear the steam whistles from Worces- ter and the bells of a dozen factories in this vicinity, all screaming and ring- ing to send five times ten thousand hungry toilers to dine around their well- spread boards.
The first house west of Mr. Dodge's was built by Mr. Kelley, and now owned by Mr. Hawkins of Worcester. It has been occupied as a tenement house.
Whiting Fisher built the brick house now owned by Aaron Day, about 1830. He sold to Jemima Hicks, she to Day, son of Aaron, son of David. Mr. Day married a Cheney ; he has no children.
Lucy Cheney moved the old school-house and commenced the house now owned by Henry Stone. Salmon Campbell bought and enlarged it. His son Ezra was the next owner and sold to Edmund Day, who sold to Stone, present owner.
375.
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Mr. Day has had two wives and two daughters. Mr. Stone has set out fruit trees and improved the place. He and Mr. Going, his son-in-law, have made a specialty of raising early vegetables.
There used to be a house nearly opposite Aaron Day's, built by Daniel Day. His wife had three children at one birth, viz. : Moses. Aaron and Miriam. The two boys lived and had families. Miriam died single. when about twenty
HOME ASFRAKL
EMERSON
RESIDENCE OF DEA. AMOS BATCHELLER.
years of age. His daughter Lydia was the mother of Sal- mon Campbell. Polly married Ezra Batcheller, who went to North Brookfield and was the father of the noted boot and shoe manufacturer, who did so much toward building · up that beautiful town. Daniel Day was succeeded by his son Aaron, who had a large family, among them one pair of twins; Sylvester and Sylvanus Newton, now living on the " old common " in Millbury. Moses Day was the father of Daniel, late of Northbridge. Moses went to Vermont.
376
HOMES OF THE
The house now owned by Amos Batcheller was started from a shop moved from Leland Hill by Daniel Brown about 1830. Brown married a daughter of Amos Batcheller, who was grandfather of the present Amos, and had two daughters born here. The eldest daughter married a Day of Dayville, Connecticut, son of the man from whom the village was named. At the birth of the second daughter the mother died, and Mrs. Stephen Putnam took the child
THE HOUSE BUILT BY CAPT. ABRAHAM BATCHELLER, NOW OWNED BY REUBEN LINCOLN.
to keep for a few days, but became so much attached to her they finally adopted her. So Sarah Brown was brought up and educated by Deacon Stephen Putnam. She married a Mr. Greenleaf and now lives in Boston. Charles Ide Dean was the next owner, then Rice, then Charles E. Taylor, who married Dean's daughter. Dean was a blacksmith. Taylor made sleighs; he sold to Batcheller, the present owner.
TOWN OF SUTTON. 377
Mr. B. married Julia M. Taylor, daughter of Benjamin, son of Samuel, Esq., and has two daughters. He has much improved the house and grounds.
The next house on the corner was the old Batcheller homestead, built by Abraham Batcheller, all of whose children were born here. He was succeeded by his son, Benjamin, whose children were also born here. Deacon John Leland, who married his daughter, Betsey, once had a
RESIDENCE OF AMOS B. STOCKWELL.
deed of it. Then Ezra Campbell, then Judson Day, son of Aaron, son of Daniel; next Oliver Adams, who sold to present owner, Mr. Reuben Lincoln.
The Batchellers were a race of large, strong men, and were good citizens. B. L. Batcheller was born here. He is the present town clerk, has held many other offices in town, and represented it in the legislature. He is now on the committee of publication of this history, and its most efficient member.
The house now owned and occupied by Amos B. Stockwell was built by Benjamin Batcheller, then traded to his brother
48
378
HOMES OF THE
Amos for his share of the old homestead. Amos Batcheller lived here until his death. One of his daughters married Tyler Stockwell and was the mother of Amos, the present owner. He married Catharine Hall, a niece of Mrs. Batcheller, and daughter of William Hall, son of Stephen, son of Stephen, son of Percival. Her sister Maria lives here. Mr. Stockwell has been one of the assessors. He has a fine family of children.
The next house was built by Elhanan Batcheller in 1835. It was burned in April 1874. Elhanan, son of Amos, son of Abraham, was born Sept. 6, 1799, and died in this house, Nov. 17, 1866. He married Lucinda Hicks, and had two sons, Amos and Harrison J., who occupied the house after the death of his father. He now lives in Upton. Elhanan Batcheller gave much attention to the cultivation of fruit, and perhaps grafted more trees than any man in town.
Abraham Batcheller built the house which was owned and occupied many years by the late Abel Ellis. He served as chorister in the first Congregational church for several years. Some of his descendants have been quite distinguished for their musical talents, especially the Lelands. One of his daughters married Oliver Leland, one Royal Penniman, who built the new house on the place now owned by Dr. John Brigham, who was born in Fitchburg, Mass., March 11, 1835. He went to Wisconsin, where he married Betsey A. Jelleff in 1856; practiced medicine there for several years before he came to Sutton. All his children were born in Wisconsin. This farm was much improved by Mr. Penni- man and his sons, and has many valuable fruit trees, which were set out by them. The old house has been taken down.
The house where Asa Lincoln now lives was built by Simon Elliot about 1846. Jacob Dodge owned it next, then his daughter Sarah. Lincoln bought it of her heirs. He married an Elliot and has one son.
Mrs. Redfield, the mother of Dr. Redfield of Providence, lived here several years with her daughter Ellen.
Salmon Campbell built the house now owned by Dexter Lowe; it was next owned by Daniel Fisher, then by Monroe
1
.
379
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Wheelock, then by Widow Fisher, then by Amos Aldrich, and now by Lowe. Harrison Chamberlain once lived here, and also Mr. Redfield.
The next house was built by Ezra Batcheller, son of Abra- ham. He went to North Brookfield. It was next owned by Caleb Hicks, then by Benjamin Taft, then by Mr. Larned, then by Judson Day, son of Aaron, who sold to Timothy Lincoln in 1837 ; he came from Newton ; married a daughter of Daniel Leonard. It is now owned by his son, Reuben Lincoln, but is not occupied.
There was a house not far from this place where Mr. Wm. Dean and his son Alpheus used to live. Alphous Dean married an Ide, sister to Dr. Ide of Webster. Charles I. Dean, already mentioned, was their son. The house has been down several years ; the site belongs to Fayette Armsby.
Zachariah Hicks first settled where Hiram now lives, and built a part of the house. It was next owned by his sons, Joseph and David. David sold his part to Felix Brown. That part was next owned by Simeon Batcheller, jr. It is now all owned by Mr. Hiram Hicks, who has improved and enlarged the house.
The next house was built by Daniel Scannel. Elliot and Campbell next owned it. Scannel took it back and sold to Joseph Bancroft ; now owned by Tolman of Worcester. It is unoccupied.
The place now owned by Joseph Bancroft was first settled by Solomon Hicks. John Pierce was the next owner, and built the present house. It was next owned by his son Jonathan, who married a Beaman and went to West Boylston, where he died, leaving a family and a handsome estate. John Pierce had twelve children, all born here, six sons and six daughters. John Walter was a Congregational clergyman, a sketch of whom follows the history of this place.
William, the only surviving member, is a wealthy manu- facturer, now living in Leicester. He married a Dickinson ; her father had five wives. It was next owned by Barnabas F. Howell, then by Cornelius Duggan, grandfather of Mr. C. W. Duggan, who represented this district in the legislature of 1875. Next owned and occupied by Mr. Ellis Burt, who
380
HOMES OF THE
died here. The next owner was P. Dwight King, the next Campbell, then Daniel Scannel, who sold to Joseph Bancroft, the present owner.
Rev. John W. Pierce died at Highgate, Vermont, March 2, 1872, aged sixty years. He was a native of Sutton, Mass .; a son of John and Lucy Pierce. He became a Christian while young, under the ministry of Rev. John Maltby. It was through Mr. Maltby's influence that he was induced to commence study for the ministry. He graduated from Bangor seminary in 1840.
He commenced his work as a minister in the service of the A. H. M. Society at Hudson, Michigan, where he labored with fidelity and success two or three years; when the climate being decmed unfavorable to his family, he' removed to Harpersville, N. Y. After a short ministry there his own health gave way, and he was obliged for a season to suspend ministerial labor.
For some time he was engaged in a secular agency, but at length his health was so far recovered that he resumed the duties of his chosen calling with the Congregational church at East Westminster, Vermont, in 1851. In 1853 he accepted an invitation to Jericho, Vermont, where he remained four years. During his ministry here a precious revival was enjoyed. He next removed to Highgate, Vermont, for one year, and then to St. Alban's Bay, where he had labored but a few months when the health of his family required him to seek a home upon the sea-coast. Accordingly, in 1859, he removed to Tre- mont, Mount Desert Island, Maine; where, after a ministry of five years, his own health failed, so that he was again obliged to suspend preaching. From Mount Desert he removed to Clinton, where he lived four years, preaching only occasionally. Though to be laid aside from the ministry was to him a severe trial, yet as he would not be idle he again engaged in secular business ; but with less satisfaction than success. He had acquired some property, and having previously purchased a house in Highgate, Vermont, in March 1868 he removed his family there.
His health had for some time seemed to be improving; and in January 1871 his physician pronounced his lungs well, and judged that he might with safety resume the duties of the ministry. Rejoicing at the thought, he made an engagement with the church at West Townsend, where he preached a few Sab- baths and left for Highgate, intending soon to return, and if suitable arrange- ments could be made to remove his family thither. He reached his home at Highgate quite ill, from the effects, as he supposed, of a severe cold. He was confident that he should soon recover, but alas! his work as a minister was done. Consumption had taken fast hold upon him. Alternating periods of comparative comfort with days and nights of weakness and suffering meas- ured out a year or more, when his spirit was released and he entered upon his reward .*
John Hicks came from Cambridge about 1743, and built a house nearly opposite the Anderson house. The place was next owned by his sou, Deacon Benjamin Hicks, who built the present house. He had five daughters, all born here. One married Job Sibley, one married Amos Pierce, one married Archelaus Putnam, one married Samuel Taylor,
* Furnished by Miss Fannie Pierce, Sutton.
381
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Esq., and one married Simeon Hathaway, jr. The place was next owned by Elhanan Batcheller, whose son Amos was born here; next owned by Barnabas F. Howell, next by Moses Bigelow, then by Leonard and James Dudley, who sold to James Anderson; next owned by his son Edward: The Rev. Daniel G. Anderson, rector of the church at Great Barrington, to whom reference is made below, was born in this house. Edward Anderson enlisted in the late war in the fifteenth regiment Massachusetts volunteers, and was an intrepid soldier. He says he was a coward, because he was afraid to stay at home when his country called, and that he durst not run when under fire. The place was next owned by Bowker, now by Joseph Shambeau, who is repairing the house.
One young man who lived in this district, and attended school several seasons, is now the celebrated Dr. Redfield of Providence, Rhode Island. It is also said that Jesse Lincoln, son of Timothy, now living in Providence, has obtained some credit as an inventor, having secured some valuable patents.
Rev. Daniel G. Anderson was born in Sutton, May 9, 1840; was educated in the school of district number nine, until sixteen years of age. He entered Kenyon College, Ohio, in the class of 1864. Left college in 1862 to enlist in the ninety-sixth regiment, O. V. I., and served for three years, being dis- charged as first sergeant, June 28, 1865. He graduated from the Philadelphia Divinity School in 1868. Was ordained the 26th of May 1868, and at once took charge of the parish of St. John's church, Ashton, Rhode Island. He remained at St. John's, Ashton, Rhode Island, and St. Bartholomew's, Crans- ton, until November 1874, when he removed to Troy, N. Y., and became rector of St. Luke's church.
In February 1876 he received a call to St. John's church, Great Barrington, and Trinity Church, Van Deusenville, where he still remains as rector.
Mr. Anderson has been, and is, successful in his calling. In 1872 he mar- ried Miss Martha McDonald of Providence, Rhode Island.
SLOCOMB DISTRICT, NO. 10.
The first house east of Reuben Dodge's was built by Ebenezer R. Dodge about 1850. It is now owned by R. Gamage.
Mr. Gamage discovered, or thought he had discovered, silver ore on his place, and hoped to open a valuable mine, and is hoping still.
382
HOMES OF THE
The next house was the Benoni or Seth Chase place, already described in connection with the R. R. Dodge place. One of the Chases was a comb-maker, and some of the horn- piths remain there now.
The house now standing near this site was built by John C. Ford about 1857. He sold to Andrew Boyce, the present owner. Mr. Boyce had a soap manufactory here, which was burned in 1876.
The house recently taken down by Robert McFarland was built by Benoni Chase, next owned by John Goodale, then by Moses Marsh, then by Captain Samuel Bigelow, next by Captain R. F. Fosdick, then by McFarland. Captain Bige- low carried on the shoe business here for several years quite extensively.
The next house, now owned by Robert McFarland, was built by Captain Samuel Bigelow about the year 1830, and sold to Captain R. F. Fosdick, who was engaged in the milk trade for several years, running a car to Providence daily. He was one of the overseers of the poor several years. At a town meeting after his death, resolutions of respect and condolence were introduced by Mr. Hartwell, and passed by the unanimous vote of the town. He was stricken with a paralysis while gathering some berries. He left a wife, but no children. A young lady who had bestowed much affec- tion upon him, came forward after his death with a will which he had given her, hoping to be his heir; but a later will made no provision for her. After the death of Captain Fosdick the estate was sold to the present owner.
The house now owned and occupied by John Harkness was built by Solomon Leland, Esq. He was succeeded by his son, Deacon Jonathan Leland, whose interesting family were born here. After the death of Deacon Leland the estate was owned and occupied by his son Horace Leland, Esq., who was one of the prominent men of the town, and highly respected by all who knew him. He never married, but remained here, having a happy home with his sisters, some of whom remained single. Deacon Leland spent much time collecting materials for a history of Sutton. He was particularly interested in the genealogy of the old families.
.
Pufferds Lith Bostm
Joner Leland
383
TOWN OF SUTTON.
He was very particular and precise in all his doings, and was thought by many to be the great man of the town. He was one of the assessors and collector and treasurer for several years. He also represented the town in the legislature.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.