History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1876 to 1950, Volume II, Part 12

Author: Sutton (Mass. : Town); Benedict, William Addison; Tracy, Hiram Averill; Dudley, John C., d. 1951
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: [Sutton, Mass.]
Number of Pages: 656


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1876 to 1950, Volume II > Part 12


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).


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The last house on this side of the street was owned by Deacon Ethan Brown. At his death, it passed to his son-in-law and only daughter Adelia-Professor and Mrs. Horatio B. Lawrence. It was sold by them to Harry Plympton (son of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Plympton) and his wife who was a daughter of Mrs. Erastus Whiting. They had one son Frank, who fell from a boat and drowned in Hotel Pond when he was eighteen. The Plymptons sold to Paul Primo and it passed to the present owner, Otto Wilson, in 1920.


Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are natives of Finland. He came to Worcester in 1899 and has worked for the Rockwood Sprinkler Co. of Worcester for more than forty years. They had four children, two of whom are living; Carl of West Sutton and Lillian (Mrs. J. O. Handley) of West Sutton.


The house across the street, now owned and occupied by the Rae Johnsons, was the home of Franklin Sibley and his family until his death. He was the stage driver and mail carrier for years. He was active in the Baptist Church and was known as "praying Frank" to distinguish him from his neighbor of the same name. His only son, George, was killed by falling from the stage. Mr. and Mrs. Sibley had five daughters: Mary, a member of the first graduating class of Sutton High School in 1876, who married Albert Andrews and lived in Spencer for years; Mildred, a teacher; Inez; Sarah Jane, and Mabel. After Mr. Sibley's death, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Shaw purchased the property in 1885. Their son, Harold, was born here. Mr. Shaw was a well-known citizen and a deacon of the Baptist Church many years. He died in 1932 and Mrs. Shaw lived here alone until her last sickness when her son and his wife came to care for her. She died at 88 in 1946. Harold Shaw sold the place to the Johnsons in 1947. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have one child Rae, Jr. Mr. Johnson is active in Boy Scout work.


Between the Johnson place and the Peladeau farm, the Douglas Road turns to the south. The first house is the homestead of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Wallace. Mrs. Wallace has given the following history:


"Samuel Rich, one of the first settlers, who owned a very large tract of land embracing several farms in the vicinity, built part of this house between 1720


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T


HOME OF RAE H. JOHNSON


and 1724. It was built in the old saltbox style with the long sloping roof towards the north. It was located on what was known later as the Douglas turnpike, it being a main road to Providence.


"May 18, 1724, the Town of Sutton petitioned to the General Court for a reconsideration of the vote for the farm, which was situated in the Town of Oxford, to be annexed to Sutton. June 3, 1724, it was voted by the General Court that the farm of Samuel Rich be annexed to the Town of Sutton to do duty and receive privileges with said town. The petition was to be at the charge of the town, Mr. Rich bearing his part of the charge.


"Samuel Rich's son Amos was born here and succeeded his father as owner. Amos married Patty Pratt. He enlarged and improved the house by building on to the west end and an ell on the north, and kept tavern there several years. In the upper part of the ell was an old fashioned dance; also a barroom on the lower floor in the southeast room, now the living room. The old barn across the road from the house, commonly known as the horse barn, was used in stage-coach times for stabling the horses. The stage-coach was driven in one door, the horses changed, and was driven through the other door on the way to Providence.


"After the death of Amos Rich, the house was kept by his son Amos, Jr. and after he died by his brother-in-law, Col. George C. Earl. It was sold to Capt. Chandler Stockwell in 1835. He lived here until his death. From 1876 until the fall of 1886, Henry Wellington Putnam and family lived on the place, he


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being a grandson of Chandler Stockwell. In 1886 the Chandler Stockwell heirs sold to Monroe Wallace, who married J. Estelle Putnam, a granddaughter of Chandler Stockwell.


"Mr. and Mrs. Wallace carried on the farm. They kept summer boarders, had many old fashioned husking bees, and dances in the old dance hall. They lived here until 1929 when Monroe Wallace died. His widow lived here until 1934 when she died at the age of 83.


"Their son Clarence Elbridge Wallace married H. Harriet Putnam in 1907. At this time the buildings were repaired and a tenement made upstairs for the young couple. In 1919 the old slant roof was raised and two rooms built by Mr. Wallace. A jet also was added to the house. A large cellar was dug under the north rooms and ell, there having been only a small cellar under the south rooms. Clapboards on the house replaced the old shingles. New windows were installed, new plaster, new floors and many other repairs made, including the old chimney, double-bricked, with two fireplaces refinished, one in the north room and one in the southwest room. The big barn and sheds were newly boarded and the buildings painted. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace still live at the old homestead." The small tenement upstairs was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Putnam. Mr. Putnam died in 1948 and his wife now lives here.


The Aaron Reed house, on the Douglas Road south of the Clarence Wallace home, was built in 1791. It commands a beautiful view of the Manchaug lake.


Aaron Reed was the owner in 1876 and lived here until his death in 1904 at the age of 85. He had two children, Etta and George. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Wallace purchased the property from Etta Reed Phillips, May 6, 1916. George died on his way home after an accident, received while chopping in the woods.


An unusual feature of the place is a large chamber under the lawn, on the Douglas side of the house, faced by a bank wall, in the center of which is an opening, now stoned up, large enough for a person to crawl through. This room was thought by some to have been a hideaway for slaves, but more likely it was a winter shelter for pigs, since there is a similar opening in the stone wall of a near-by field through which animals could be driven.


On occasion, Aaron Reed was wont to comment in rhyme on local affairs. One such diatribe begins as follows:


"To git water from that far Chinese shore, They had a town meetin and raised fifteen hun'd more. And the brass band played and the tin horns blow'd, And our Manchaug rooster he got up and crow'd."


The house on Waters Road, long known as the Bullard house, built by Richard Waters II in 1782, was sold to the Bullard family and remained in the Bullard family from 1805, when it was purchased by Dr. Artemus Bullard, until 1920, when it was sold to Dr. John Ellery Tuttle of Swarthmore, Pa.


Dr. Bullard and his wife had ten children. Of these, two sons Joseph and Oliver, remained in Sutton and Joseph carried on the farm for many years. The southern end of the farm, 23 acres extending nearly over to the Douglas line, was sold to Nathan Waters by Oliver Bullard in 1845 for 690 dollars. At the southern end, long called the "Oven Orchard", there is a "romantically situated" spring where tradition says Henry Ward Beecher and his fiancee, Eunice Bullard, used to visit before their marriage.


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Joseph Bullard and his wife had six children. Eliza Ann, the eldest, was born in Holden, but lived continuously on the farm from 1844 until her death in 1921. Mr. Walter Waters furnished the following data: "Eliza never mar- ried and when asked the reason replied, that 'those she would have, wouldn't have her, and those who would have her, the devil wouldn't have.' As the oldest child of the family, much of the work and care fell to her lot for many years. She was a very interesting and indefatigable talker, of a wiry medium build, with snapping black eyes, a smart and capable housekeeper and good cook. Later she with her mother and her mother's younger brother, Marcus Hill, occupied the big house. Later on, different families rented a part of the house.


"The farm was owned by her brother, Henry Beecher Bullard. At haying time he would hire several men, and rush the job through in a hurry. It was Eliza's work to prepare a hot dinner each day for the hungry men. After her Mother's death in 1890 and her uncle Marcus' death in 1913, Eliza had more leisure and made frequent, friendly calls on the neighbors, and, indeed, it was often a real godsend to have her come in and enliven a lonely cold or stormy day at the farm. She always had the latest village news, and knew the right dates of birth, marriage, and death of nearly everyone of the townspeople. Often in summer, one might spy Eliza's large striped sunbonnet, bobbing above the top of the stone wall, as she jogged along the road on her way to make a call. She attended the local Baptist Church regularly. She told of one communion Sunday, that when the communion cup came to her to sip (as was the custom then), there was a dead fly in the cup; and as she had only that morning opened a new package of hairpins, she took one from her hair, fished out the dead fly, sipped and passed it along. She was full of stories of the time of her youth in old Sutton and knew everyone for miles around. As age crept upon her, the family secured a companion-nurse for her, who stayed until the end, when she was 85. She was sorely missed by all who knew her."


Dr. and Mrs. John E. Tuttle, who purchased the farm from Henry B. Bullard, added improvements and made the house into a charming summer home with attractive gardens. They named the place "Hearthstones". The old elm tree and the house block under it still remain, which probably were there from the first settlement. The horse block was also used about 1830 as a pulpit at religious meetings. Henry Ward Beecher doubtless preached here. The cottage on the place was built by the Tuttles about 1923. This was occupied for a time by people in Dr. Tuttle's employ, but later rented to various families. The new barn was built about the same time. It was erected at a "barn raising", following an old village custom, refreshments being served to the community workers.


The row of maple trees along the road side leading to the village was planted by Squire Ebenezer Waters. He also put in the painted panels over the fireplaces of the parlor and parlor chamber which still remain.


These panels were painted by Winthrop Chandler, (1747-1790) a Connecticut artist, whose work is of much interest. The one in the south parlor shows a winding river, fringed by trees. A group of figures is in the foreground. It is 20" by 58" and is framed by a molding. The panel in the upper chamber shows a river and a fort with other buildings, These were painted sometime between 1767-1790. (There are also in existence the por- traits of Samuel Waters and his wife Prudence (Winchester) Waters, painted by Chandler. These were done in 1779 and are now owned by Mrs. Bertram Little of Brookline, Mass.).


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After Dr. Tuttle's retirement from the Swarthmore, Pa. Church, the family made this their permanent home.


In 1939, Dr. Tuttle accepted a call to become pastor of the Oxford Congrega- tional Church and the family moved to Oxford. Mrs. Tuttle, a fine, talented woman, died there in 1940. In the spring of 1941, the place was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Wood of Millbury. Mr. Wood was Vice-President of Felters Co. of Boston until his retirement in 1947 because of poor health. Mr. Wood died here in 1951. Their daughter Judith and her husband (Mr. and Mrs. John Hampshire) lived in the cottage with their son, John Jr.


Mr. and Mrs. Wood had an understanding appreciation of the old place and continued the restoration of its beautiful features. Frank A. Parsons is the present owner.


HOME OF FRANK R. PARSONS


From the Worcester Spy January 4, 1878, "Married in West Sutton by Rev. J. P. Chapin, Frank Tucker of Charlton and Miss Mary A. Bullard of West Sutton. The bride is a niece of Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher and was married in the same place in which Rev. H. W. Beecher and wife stood when they were married more than forty years ago, and this is the first marriage in that house since that of Mr. Beechers'. Judge Barton of Worcester was also married, in the same house and place, to another aunt of the bride."


Mr. Waters contributed the following for the history about the Waters house:


"The main part of the house owned by the Walter Nathan Waters' heirs, according to the old history, was built by Stephen Waters (1735-1819) in 1757. The long north ell was added about 1830 by his grandson Nathan; the west ell was added in 1840 by Stephen's son John. The house contains eight fireplaces


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and three brick ovens, as two or three generations of the family lived here at the same time, but kept house separately, at various periods in its history. The south- east chamber has long been called the "Prophets' Chamber", because so many supplying ministers slept there over Sunday. The house overlooks Manchaug Lake and the country beyond with a view of Woonsocket, R. I., 18 miles away. John Waters was an indefatigable worker and the numerous high stone posts for gates on the place are monuments to his industry. He built also the tombs at West Sutton cemetery.


Mr. Waters also related the following: "Between 1810 and 1825 the 'Sutton Close- Communion Baptist Church' met at this house on Sundays at somewhat irregular intervals. My grandmother Ulva (Putnam) Waters remembered attending services here when but a child. At one time there were 28 members; and all stayed to dinner, as a rule. An old story tells that the beans were baking in the brick oven in the north kitchen where the meetings were held. As the sermon was long (two hours being the common length at the time), great-grandfather John Waters, who feared the beans might burn, quietly slipped a pewter plate in over the pot. Being absorbed in the sermon, he forgot for the moment that the pewter would melt, which it quickly did, and the beans were ruined. The society later was called the 'Independent Baptist Church in Sutton'. At some services, two or more brethren prayed aloud at the same time and dissension arose."


The present barn was built by Nathan Waters in 1847, replacing an older one. The sidehill facing the lake with a southwest exposure forms what old orchard- ists claim is an ideal location for apple trees. Here, Stephen set out large orchards and made the place famous as an apple farm. He built a large cider mill and made cider for farmers from miles around. He also developed by skillful grafting the famous "Sutton Beauty" apple.


Another story was told by Mr. Waters: "In the latter part of his life it was Stephen's habit to select several of the best ripe cider apples, as he came across them, and to place them safely on a side beam of the mill, until he found time to sit down quietly to 'scrape' with his knife and enjoy the fine flavor of the fruit. His lively grandsons, Nathan and Richard, soon spied these 'saved apples' and appropriated them on the sly, much to the old man's annoyance. One day catching young Richard in the act, he determined to give him a lesson. In those times leather belts were used mostly instead of suspenders, but young Richard wore suspenders which Grandpa didn't understand, so he simply ripped the pants down the back and proceeded to chastise the culprit."


Stephen's farm was the 234 acres, which were purchased by his father Richard 2nd in 1728. The property passed from Richard 2nd to Stephen, to his son John, to his sons Nathan and Richard. Nathan kept the house which his son Samuel inherited. Samuel was set up in business at the West Sutton Store by his father Nathan. He lived here with his wife, and his son Walter Nathan was born in this house in 1869. He sold after a short time, to Henry Bullard, and removed to West Newton where he continued in a similar business.


Walter Nathan Waters made music his profession with a studio in New York City. The old home became his summer residence, he being owner, after his father's death in 1927. He had the greatest affection for the place, gladly returning each year to renew his friendships and to enter into the community life. He was actively interested in everything historical in the town; and he was interested in forming the West Sutton Community Association."


He died suddenly Jan. 22, 1945. The following is from an obituary published in The New York Times:


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"Walter N. Waters of New York, organist and choirmaster at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Rahway, N. J., for more than ten years and a former chancel organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, died last night of a heart attack shortly after he boarded a train for New York. His age was 75.


"Born in West Sutton, Mass., he was the son of the late Samuel N. and Emma Lanckton Waters. A student of music since early childhood, Mr. Waters attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and the National Conservatory of Music in New York, later becoming a teacher of theory and harmony at the latter institution.


"He first became a teacher of music at the Suffield School in Connecticut. Besides teaching and serving as organist, he wrote considerable church music.


"Mr. Waters served at St. Patrick's Cathedral for six years, including the period of the first World War. On the day of the Armistice he played in St. Patrick's a special program, marking the end of hostilities. "Later Mr. Waters be- came organist and choirmaster at St. Michael's Monastery in Union City, serving there until the edifice was destroyed by fire. He was a member of the American Guild of Organists and St. Wilfred's Club of New York.


"He leaves a widow, Ada Valentine Waters, and a daughter, Mrs. Dorothea Moran, wife of Lieut. Comdr. Charles Moran of New York."


"Mrs. Moran was graduated from New York College of Music and studied in Middlebury College. She is executive secretary of American Institute of Architects and is a founder of Young Women's Republican Club of New York, Inc."


John Waters (1764-1847) built the house where Mr. and Mrs. Gagne live, in 1839, as a dwelling for his son Richard. Upon Richard's death in 1876, his heirs sold the place to Pierre LeVeille (sometimes called Peter Wake). Mr. and Mrs. LeVeille were born in Canada and had two children one of whom died young, the other Annie, married Albert Gagne. Mr. LeVeille died in 1909 and the place was left to Mrs. Gagne. This farm had always been a good fruit farm. At one time it was known as the biggest apple farm in town. Edward Kraigenow came to this home when he was thirteen years old. He lived with Mr. and Mrs. Gagne for thirty-seven years until his death, November 21, 1951.


Going back to the Turnpike and turning to Boston Road, there used to be two shops, near the waterway; one, on the little dam on the west side was for wood working; the one on the opposite side was for blacksmithing. Both have been gone for twenty years or more. Next on the right is the sawmill, owned by S. Martin Shaw. Beyond the mill stood Salem Shaw's house where he lived with his family. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw had six children: Elmer, who lived in West Sutton all of his life; Addie (Mrs. Isaac Waters); Mary Lillian (Mrs. James Freeland); Jennie (Mrs. Charles French); S. Martin, who lives in town, and is a prominent citizen and Carrie (Mrs. Fred Esterbrook). All have passed away except S. Martin.


Mrs. Salem Shaw died here in February, 1898. The house burned in Septem- ber, 1899 and was never rebuilt. Across the street, left of the cemetery, a house burned about fifty years ago. The property is now owned by William Moore, who has built a dwelling for himself and also, on the place, a home for his son Stanley and his wife (Flora Baier) and their seven children, David, Donald, Alan, Joel, Carol, Jonathan, and James.


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The old school house, built in 1818, used to stand near the second driveway to the cemetery, until its removal as later noted.


A house adjoining the cemetery on the east, occupied by Isaac Waters and his family, was burned in 1901 and never replaced. In 1934 the town bought the land and added it to the West Sutton cemetery. Mr. Waters' wife, who was Addie F. Shaw, a daughter of Salem Shaw, lived with her oldest daughter, Mrs. Frederic Cook, after his death and died at her home in Dorchester. Mr. and Mrs. Waters had four children: Florence (Mrs. Cook); Richard Lovejoy, who lived in Michigan and died there in 1949 and Jason Isaac, who was killed in an accident with a runaway horse in 1905. (He left his wife Florence M. (Elliott), a sister of Mrs. S. Martin Shaw, and one son Carleton. ). The fourth child was Lillian Rebecca, who married Sterling Price Wiley, and lived in Los Angeles, where he died in 1938. She now lives in Dorchester, Mass.


The only house on the West Sutton Road, between the cemetery and Town Farm Road, is that on the right built by Ralph Morey in 1944. Mr. and Mrs. Morey make this their home. They had two sons Robert, who was born on Freeland Hill, and Kenneth, born at the Town Farm when Mr. and Mrs. Morey were in charge of that institution. Robert was First Lieut. in the Army Air Corps stationed in Shreveport, La. He married there, Miss Mary Creegan of that city. He was killed in an airplane crash in Labrador in 1951. He was an outstanding young man and his death was a great loss to his country, his family and friends. He leaves a wife and a daughter, born in Louisiana after his death. Kenneth, a Sutton High Graduate, was a sergeant in the U. S. Service in Korea.


Coming back to the Boston Road, the next place on the way to Sutton, is the farm owned by Mrs. Alexandra Baier. Mr. Henry Baier died in December 1947 and Mrs. Baier continues to make this her home. The Baiers had three children: Irene, who married Milton Javery and lives in Worcester; Gertrude, who is Mrs. John Takala and lives in Rutland, and Flora, who is the wife of H. Stanley Moore of West Sutton.


Mr. J. Fred Humes gives us the following account of the ownership of this place. It shows how a farm may change hands through the years.


'Simon Sibley, who bought this place in 1816, sold it March 6, 1868 to Harriet Sibley wife of Francis F. On June 11, 1875, Mrs. Sibley, through Forrest E. Barker, conveyed a one-half interest to her husband. November 7, 1877, the Sibleys sold a one-half interest to Sarah A. Sherman and the other half to her husband Hiram J. At this time the farm comprised about 65 acres. February 8, 1879, the Shermans sold back to the Sibleys about 21 acres not including the buildings. April 11, 1881, the Shermans sold the house and 1/2 acre of land to Adaline Gleason and September 28, 1882, they sold the balance of the land and barn to Albert Andrews, who, on April 1, 1886, sold to Charles H. and Annette J. Johnson. April 28, 1886, the Johnsons sold 2 acres to "Addie" Gleason and on April 13, 1889, they sold the balance of their holdings to Oliver K. Cook. July 3, 1893, Cook sold about 18 acres to John R. Humes and May 2, 1894, he sold what he had left, which included the barn, to William H. Barr who, on February 20, 1900, bought the house and about 21/2 acres of land from Mrs. Gleason. The purchase from Mrs. Gleason made Mr. Barr the owner of all the buildings and about 25 acres of land. William H. Barr sold to W. Warner Barr January 3, 1907-he to Grace E. Putnam


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October 13, 1911-she to Lewis F. Statter May 6, 1912-he to Harry A. Malone and others June 15, 1917-they to Peter Miklusis and wife September 9, 1919 -they to James D. Black and wife July 22, 1921-they to Wilfred K. Drake and wife April 12, 1922-they to Sandra Baier the present owner June 18, 1928. Andrews-the Johnsons-and Cook owned the barn but never the house. Mrs. Gleason owned the house for about 19 years but not the barn."


The historical old house, built by Tarrant Putnam and owned by Mrs. Rachel Rich, widow of John Rich, passed to John S. Rich of Millbury, her husband's nephew after her death. He was owner, for many years, of a shoddy mill in West Millbury and was a Civil War Veteran. He was born in Sutton in 1844. He and his wife had five children, but three sons and a daughter died young, leaving one daughter, Sarah Marie. She married Howard Francis King of Blackstone, who had one son, Roswell King, by former marriage. After Mrs. Rachel Rich's death, the main house was left furnished but the ell was rented to various tenants. In 1915, while Silas LaRose and his family were living there, the house caught fire and burned to the ground, destroying many beautiful antiques, which could never be replaced. Mr. Rich rebuilt the house the next year (1916) and it was used by the King family as a summer home. In 1929 John Rich King began to manage the farm. The Howard Kings had five children: John R., mentioned above; Mildred, who died age 6; A. Rosamond who mar- ried William Lynch of Uxbridge; Florence May, who married John Gabler and lives in Worcester, and Howard F.


Mrs. Sarah King died in 1936 and John Rich King inherited the farm. He lives here with his family and runs a dairy farm. He married Anna Sawchuk in 1934. They have four children, Sara Ann, John Rich King, Jr., Daniel Howard, and Marilyn.




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