USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1876 to 1950, Volume II > Part 49
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The house now owned by Wilfred Noel was probably one of the oldest houses in the village of Wilkinsonville. It is on Depot Street next to the remains of the old Mill. It was long known as "Peter Weir House," one of three said to have been bought by Mr. Weir at the Slater auction, in 1904.
This property was inherited by Miss Jessie Weir, daughter of Peter Weir, and after her death, became the property of Dodge Bros. Mr. Wilfred Noel bought it from the Dodge Estate, in 1947, and has made extensive improvements, mak- ing a comfortable and modern dwelling. The Noels have three children, Theresa, Wilfred Jr. and Janet.
The Noels rent one apartment downstairs to Mrs. Rose Gauvin, who has lived in the same rooms about fifty years, most of the time with her late husband and family.
The first house on the right, on Blackstone Street, after crossing the railroad track, is the old Abraham Dudley Chase place. When the son Henry died, in 1903, the property was sold to Edwin Dodge, then to William Dunn, in 1908. The next owner was Henry Kimball of Worcester, who set out many apple trees, making the fields into orchards. In 1940, the place was sold to Michael Kinderis.
This house stands on a rise and has the dignified lines of a real mansion of the 1850's. It commands a view of the village and is surrounded by an especially beautiful and well-built stone wall. The capstones are all long, thick and uniform and the wall itself has apparently remained intact to this day. One other notice- able feature of the property is the large barn with its cupola, one of the last re- maining in the vicinity.
The first house on the left, after crossing the railroad track, on Blackstone Street, is owned and occupied by Walter Chase and his family. Volume I of the Town History tells us that Warren Wilder built this house in 1851. Later, his daughter, Lucy, married David Tyler Dudley, father of Henry, Frederick, Sum- ner and Charles Dudley. Frederick, commonly known as "Fred," married Angie Anderson and after the death of her husband, Mrs. Fred Dudley lived with a Mrs. Place in this house for many years. Harry Balcom also lived with the Dudleys.
Fred Dudley was the station agent at Wilkinsonville for many years and also conducted a grain business store. He was a musician and played the church organ at St. John's Church. A small reed organ was given the church in his memory for the use of the Sunday School. It was an excellent instrument with an unusually good tone and was still well-preserved and often used, as late as 1938.
When the D. T. Dudley house, across the street, was sold by the Sumner Dudley heirs, at auction, this house was included as one item of the sale.
Hartwig Erickson bought the property about 1936 and made two apartments of the house. It was occupied by the family of Benjamin Chase at the time.
Previous to that, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Chase rented the house from 1922 to 1934. There were four Chase children: George, who married Agnes Casey and
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lives in Worcester, Jennie, who married Everett Crouch and went to live in Mill- bury, Louisa, who married John Waner in 1947 and lives in the upper apartment and Walter, who married Stacia Stopyra and owns the property and occupies the lower part of the house. The Walter Chases bought the house, in 1940. There were five Chase children: Mary Ernestine, and Christopher Columbus, who died in 1941 and 1944, as small children, and Herbert 1938, Geraldine 1946 and Christine, 1951, are with their parents in this home. The house has been greatly improved recently.
Among the tenants living in this house was Donald Starbard, Superintendent of the Mill for several years.
Before her marriage, Louisa Chase served in the Waves from February 1944 to February 1946 in Washington D.C. and Patuxet River, Maryland.
A story is told about a peacock that belonged to one of the owners of this property, in the days when many trains passed through the village. The bird would hurry to show himself when the train passed. He would spread his tail and strut back and forth to the great delight of the regular passengers. One day, a dog chased the bird and pulled out one-half of his tail. The owner said the peacock never went out to see the train again, and died within a few days, of a broken heart.
The second house, on the right, on Blackstone Street, going north from the depot, is owned by Lawrence Tebo. This house was built, in 1851, by David Tyler Dudley, father of Capt. Henry, Frederick and Sumner Dudley.
The property was rented for years and was owned later by the son, Sumner, who lived in Taunton, Mass. At the auction of Sumner Dudley's property in Wilkinsonville, in 1939, this house was bought by the Tebo family.
The present owner, Lawrence Tebo, is a machinist, who has a shop in Marble- ville. Mr. and Mrs. Tebo lived in the house for several years and recently moved to Grafton. There were three Tebo children: Kenneth 1939, Lawrence, Jr. 1940 and Mark 1948.
The house has been made into two tenements and the present occupants are Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Kneeland and children, Sharon Anne 1945 and Andrea Kay 1948. Mr. Kneeland is a machinist. The other family is that of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Cormier and Raymond Jr. 1951. Mr. Cormier is employed as a woolen weaver.
For twenty-five years the family of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Piper lived in this house. Mr. Piper worked at the Dudley Shuttle Co. for many years.
There were eleven children. Irene married Charles Noble and went to Whitins- ville. Hazel married Dr. Edward Cunningham and lives in Grafton. Mildred married J. E. Maclaren and lives in Grafton. Ralph married Florence Elsner and lives in New York City. Theodore worked in Whitinsville for many years and is now in ill-health at a sanitorium. Lillian married Edmond Wheelden and lives in Perisburg, Ohio. Gertrude married John Wheelden and lives in Grafton. Stanley works for the Whitin Machine Co. and has travelled widely. During World War II he served as Technical Sergeant in Radio and was in India for three years. Kenneth married Relma Boutlier and lives in Northbridge. Preston married Alice Wheelen and lives in Trenton, N.J. Wendell married Viola Hinch- cliffe and lives in Northbridge.
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The family of E. Blake Barton, Superintendent of Schools, lived here for a time, also Mr. and Mrs. William Green for several years. Mr. Green is a well- known fruit grower.
The Grynsel house is the third house on the north side of Blackstone Street after passing the railroad station. It was bought by Anthony Bekier from John Demers, about 1921, and he lived there with his family until his tragic death in 1927 when he was killed by a train in Saundersville.
There are three Bekier children: Veronica, born in 1916, who married Frank Brasiskis, lives in Sutton Center, and has two children, June P. born in 1942 and Thomas P. born in 1944; Walter, 1920, married Martha Dwinell and has two children, James, born in 1950 and Kenneth, 1951. Walter is employed by the New England High Carbon Wire Co. in Millbury and lives in the Demers house. Stanley, 1924, married Anne Sadowsky, lives in Clinton and has one little girl.
After Mr. Bekier's death, his wife, Mary, married Anthony Grynsel in 1928 and they both own the Demers' property and have modernized the house. In 1948, they moved to Dority Pond and Mr. Grynsel is the proprietor of a café. They have one son Edward, born in 1929. He is a Private First Class in a Food Service Squadron in the Air Force.
Walter Bekier served in World War II, a Corporal in the Air Transport Command.
The house just beyond the Walter Chase property on Blackstone Street, going north, is now owned by Joseph Petka. The story goes that the building was once used as a factory for processing cotton before being made into cloth.
Many years ago it was made into a two-tenement dwelling and was owned by Vital LaPierre who had come down from Canada to work in the vicinity. He lived in the house with his family for many years and his daughter, Octavie King, became the next owner. Thirty years ago, in 1922, she sold the place to Joseph Petka, who is the present owner.
The house has been improved and modern conveniences have been added. There are eight Petka children. Statia, married Bernie Kasavich and went to Worcester; Lena, married Eli Vayo and lives in Wilkinsonville; Mitchell mar- ried Gladys LeCoy and lives in the tenement nearest the Walter Chase house; John is married and is in San Diego, California; Alfreda, married Henry Murin and lives in Millbury; Helen married John Lennon of Wilkinsonville; Stanley and Bertha are unmarried.
Stanley served in the Army and was discharged a 1st Lieutenant after serving four years. He then entered a monastery in Kentucky and studied there for a time. He entered Clark University in Worcester later and was graduated. He is now in the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. John was in the Marines in World War II, and was discharged a Sergeant. Mitchell served in the Navy. He has five children: Donald, Dorothy, Sandra, Michael and Stanley Joseph.
The Henault home is the third house on the left on Blackstone Street, after leaving the railroad station. This house, now owned by Lucien J. Henault, was once located on a small cellar hole still visible on Buttonwood Avenue, on John Dudley's property near Smith's.
It had been built originally nearer the present Cold Spring Brook, and when Joel Houghton built a new dam for his grist mill and raised the water, the little
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house was brought up to what is now known as the "Bashaw cellar hole." Eustace Bashaw, Sr. lived here with his family and their little boat was often seen cross- ing the pond back of the house to bring home wood and other necessities. About 1891 Michael O'Mara, Sr., who with his family had occupied the house for sev- eral years, bought it from the Sullivan Newton estate. The building was torn down and moved across the river and the same house was occupied again by Mr. O'Mara's family, for many years, but on Blackstone Street.
Lucien Henault bought the house and land, in 1939, and raised rabbits and had a small goat dairy. He married Phyllis Matuzek and there are three children: John L. born in 1935, Gerald A., 1940 and Mary A., 1948.
Mr. Henault was in the Navy in World War II and saw service in the Pacific. Since the war Mr. and Mrs. Henault have remodeled what was once the barn into a comfortable and attractive home, where they live at present. Mr. Henault is now a Radiotrician, motion picture operator and is an active police officer and fireman.
The first house on Dudley Hill, in Wilkinsonville, is known as the Chase house. It was built, in 1893, on land purchased from the Sullivan Newton estate by Mr. and Mrs. Louis E. Chase. The Chases were influential and highly re- spected members of the community, active in many of its enterprises. They were especially interested in the work of St. John's Church; Mr. Chase was its treasurer for forty-seven years; Mrs. Chase played the organ and was active in the Woman's Guild. They frequently entertained visiting Episcopal clergy, one among their guests being the well-known Phillips Brooks. August 5, 1913, their son Wellington died after a long illness. In 1914, their son Daniel enlisted in the World War and served as 2nd Lieutenant in France for over a year. After the war, he returned to the business of D. T. Dudley & Son Co., in which his father had been actively engaged for many years. In 1924, he married Gertrude M. Dudley and went to live at Dudley Farm. Mr. Louis Chase died March 19, 1934 after a long illness and Mrs. Chase died December 19, 1937.
In 1940, Ernest P. Anyon and family came here from North Uxbridge to live. He was Mass. State Conservation officer, retiring in 1947. He is a veteran of World War I. The children are Roger, living in Wilbraham; Anna Marie, who served for three years as Wave in Naval Medical Corps in Hawaii; Rose Marie, living in Clinton; Norman, who was a sergeant for three years in the Marines; Henry, also in Marines for three years, with a year and a half in China; Virginia, living in Worcester and Ernest in High School.
TORREY DISTRICT, No. 13
T HE first place in District No. 13, on the road from West Sutton to Man- chang (Manchaug Road), was known as the Royal Keith place. The Royal Keiths had two children, a son and daughter. The daughter married Ben- jamin O. Paine. Mr. Paine operated a blacksmith shop here and also established a fine tool business in Millbury, now under the management of Mrs. Barrett, a daughter of Mr. Paine.
The Keith heirs sold the property, in 1903, to Alice and Ernest Cornell. Then followed a number of short-time owners: J. Boardman West of Sharon, Mass .; Eli Crocker of Boston, in 1910; D. McMillan, in 1911; Jacob Perlisin, 1912; Frank Auger, Joseph Raiche, and Frank Auger again in 1924. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Auger lived here with their children, Francis and Elise until June 1927, when the place was sold to the Worcester Young Men's Christian Association. The reservation, first known as Camp Manchaug, was later named Camp Blan- chard. Caretakers at the farmhouse have been, Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Drake, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Reid and Mr. and Mrs. Laythe. The original buildings have been taken down; the barn in 1941, during Mr. and Mrs. Reid's stay, and the house in 1949.
A lodge with kitchen, dining and recreation rooms was built, in 1937, and later dedicated as "Robert L. Moore Lodge," honoring a former General Secre- tary of the YMCA in Worcester. The new combination caretaker's and camp director's house, on the exact location of the old farmhouse, will house the camp director and his family, chef, as well as a room in the attic for thirty beds for conference use. In the basement are showers, all water equipment for the entire camp and the camp store. The need of an infirmary was recognized, and the "Stoddard Infirmary" was erected, in 1948. A registered nurse is in attendance, and the building is so constructed that it can be used for winter activities. In 1949, "Fuller Lodge" was built, which has an assembly hall and recreation hall upstairs, craft shops and boat and waterfront equipment storage space down- stairs. The large buildings have stained log cabin siding.
There are nine or more bunk-type cabins used for the boys' sleeping quarters. Each cabin is named for a different Indian Tribe. A sea wall has been erected near the boat house and much work has been on the shore of the lake to improve swimming and boating instruction. This new section is called "Kesseli Beach."
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Robert C. Kesseli, counsellor at the camp for over eighteen years has been ap- pointed director of Camp Blanchard. He was head of the Pioneer Village and the nature program, in 1950; a teacher in a private school at Dexter, Maine. A nature hut has been built by the Worcester Boys' Trade School.
"It is difficult to give any adequate figure of the people who have used the camp. It has served many young peoples' groups, a number of church and other educational organizations and for the last three years (1951) has been the center of a conference of industrial foremen and executives promoted by the "Y." In 1950, there were three hundred twenty-four campers, who spent 6013 days at camp."
Camp Wampus, another camp for boys, was built, in 1929, by Walter N. Waters, on the northwest shore of Manchaug Lake. It accommodated twenty-five boys and could easily have been expanded to care for a larger number. It con- sisted of substantial wooden buildings on land, which was a part of the old orig- inal Waters farm, bought, in 1720, by the first settler, Richard Waters from Salem. The site was ideal, comprising lake, islands and forest. Experienced coun- selors gave special attention to the boys. John Barron of Worcester was one of the early counselors, loved and respected by the group. After about ten years the camp was discontinued.
Edward D. Leonard sold shore lots from his farm north of Y.M.C.A. Camp Blanchard: Lot No. 1-1933 to his daughter, Edna M. Ritchie. Lot No. 2- 1935 to his daughter, Edna M. Ritchie. Lot No. 3-reserved for his son, Edgar D. Leonard. Lot No. 4 & 5-1941 to Simon G. & Anna M. Gustaf- son (sold by Arvilla Leonard). Lot No. 6 & part of 7-1946 to Gustav F. & Alice H. Johanson (sold by Edgar D. Leonard). Lot No. part of 7 & 8-1946 to Ernest R. & Ora M. Baillargeon (sold by Edgar D. Leonard). Lot No. 9- 1930 to Ernest Baillargeon (sold by Edward Leonard). Lot No. 10-1931 to Harry G. & Anna Stohlberg (sold by Edward Leonard). Lot No. 11-1931 to Carl O. & Anna Anderson (sold by Edward Leonard). Lot No. 12-1933 to Roland L. & Ruth Lundgren (sold by Edward Leonard). Lot No. 13-1937 to Carl O. F. Erickson (sold by Arvilla Leonard). Lot No. 14-1938 to Albert F. Stockhaus (sold by Arvilla Leonard). Lot No. 15-1939 to Philip O. & Eve- lyn Paradis (sold by Arvilla Leonard). Mr. Paradis sold to Everett Gendron in 1944. Each lot owner has erected a summer camp.
The earliest deed, connected with this place, given to Ira Darling, was dated August 1, 1833, when he bought mowing lots from his brother Amasa. On April 22, 1835, he purchased a pasture from Simeon Larned, located opposite the house, owned by the Worcester Young Men's Christian Association. This lot has since grown up to wood. It wasn't until November 6, 1837, that he bought the house lot, wood lot, pond lot and two more mowing lots from Lot F. Simpson. He acquired one more pasture from Richard Waters, May 6, 1857. Now with these parcels of land grouped together, the farm totals forty-one acres and one hundred nine rods.
Many changes have been made in the house. It began with two rooms down- stairs and bedrooms a half-story high. Aaron Darling, Ira's father, died here, January 24, 1849. Later a kitchen, bedroom and long hall were added on the eastern side of the house. Ira Darling's daughter, Cordelia Maria, was married
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here to Chilon Houghton, January 29, 1868. A daughter, Edna Darling Hough- ton, was born to them, July 24, 1871. Ira Darling's other daughter, Celia Louisa, who married Andrew Adams Batchelor in Holden, October 1, 1865, also had a daughter, Arvilla Louise Batchelor, born here January 31, 1872. When Arvilla was two years old she and her parents moved to Westboro where her father opened a dentist's office. Rachel Martin, Ira Darling's sister, and her husband, Timothy Martin, made their home here. She died June 26, 1875, and her hus- band died a few days later, July 4, 1875.
Ira Darling, a well-liked and highly respected gentleman, maintained the farm and had a milk route through Manchang for many years. He and his wife, Nancy Carpenter Darling, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary here, May 16, 1886. On May 25, 1898, Nancy C. Darling died. The same month Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Batchelor came back to live with Ira. July 30, 1900, Celia Louisa Batch- elor died. January 1902, Arvilla Louise Batchelor came home to care for her father and grandfather. She had been a bookkeeper for the Shredded Wheat Co., and for the Oread Institute in Worcester, Mass. Ira Darling died April 2, 1906, at the next house, the home of his older daughter, Mrs. Cordelia Houghton.
June 12, 1907, Arvilla Louise Batchelor was married to Edward Darius Leon- ard of Lackey Hill, Sutton. Again changes were made in the house by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard. The three rooms in the eastern ell were opened to make a large dining room and a large pantry on its northen side; the house at the Parker place in Douglas, in which Ira Darling was born, was moved across the old dam in Manchaug Pond and placed at the end of the dining room to become a kitchen, hall and bathroom. At the same time a cellar was dug under the ell of the house.
The large barn, no longer standing, was put together with wooden pins, pre- sumably by Ira Darling. Its roof was taken off by the 1938 hurricane and, in 1946, it was torn down and a two-car garage built in its place; stanchions have been installed in the basement for the barn animals. Other buildings on the farm have been removed, including a workshop and a shelter in the lane, housing a shingle mill, which Mr. Leonard used in making most of his wooden shingles.
Andrew Adams Batchelor died Dec. 15, 1909, after having suffered several years with asthma. A son, Edgar Darling, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Edward D. Leonard, March 3, 1912. Mr. Leonard's daughter, Edna Marion, was married at this house, July 4, 1912, to Andrew Thomson Ritchie of East Douglas. Flo- rence Louise was born to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Leonard, February 18, 1914, at Millbury Mass. On May 25, 1935, Edward D. Leonard died in St. Vincent's Hospital, having been there but ten days. Florence Louise Leonard, who had taught in the schools at Manchaug, was married here to Birger Peter Helgesen of Hartford, Conn., on June 27, 1936. Her brother, Edgar Darling Leonard, was married to Annie Katherine Clark, November 26, 1936, at her home in Oxford, Mass .. Mrs. Arvilla L. Leonard died here February 5, 1942. It is interesting to note that she was born, married and died in the same house. The Helgesens, liv- ing here since their marriage, are now owners of the property. Two daughters, Vesta Louise, born July 28, 1937, and Ethel Arvilla, born Feb. 13, 1940 and a son, Wesley Carl, born April 23, 1942, have come here to make their home in their great-great-grandfather's house; all five generations of the family living here continuously.
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The house at the junction of Manchaug and Torrey Roads, opposite the Fuller Cemetery, was formerly owned by Ira Darling. He died in 1906 and left the farm to his daughter, Cordelia Houghton. Dr. Chilon Houghton, who had been a dentist in Danvers, practised dentistry here in a building called "the shop." This was later converted into a studio for the Houghton's daughter Edna. She did oil painting and hand-painting of china. Edna married Edward L. Hough at the Manchaug Baptist Church, March 16, 1892. Dr. Chilon Houghton died Jan. 1, 1918 and his wife Cordelia died Dec. 15, 1928, leaving the home to their only daughter. In the 1920's a henhouse, a three-car garage and an ice house had been built. The Houghs had the house remodeled to the Cape Cod style in the early 1930's and later a room was built in the breezeway from the house to the barn and woodshed. Oct. 16, 1945, Edna Hough died. Edith God- dard of Grafton became the second Mrs. Hough in July 1946.
The homestead was sold, in Oct. 1950, to Mr. and Mrs. Keneth Hoover of Worcester. Mr. Hoover is Vice President and General Manager of the Worcester Street Railway.
The buildings have been repaired as needed. The major change in the house is the installation of a modern pine-paneled kitchen and dinette. There is a built- in incinerator in the breezeway room, which doubles as a fireplace in the back patio.
The Hoovers have two daughters, Jacquelyn, now Mrs. Ayres of Worcester, and Alyse, attending Sutton High School.
The property on Torrey Road, known in the old Sutton History as the Elder Willard Fuller place, was owned by Mrs. Herbert Briggs. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Briggs had six children: Viola, Mrs. Douglas Black of Sutton; Lawrence of Sut- ton; Clifford, deceased; Alfred, who recently lived in Manchaug; Harold, who lives here with his own family and Doris, Mrs. Harold Cortis of Oxford.
Their lawn was very attractive with beautiful flower gardens and the stone walls, built by Mr. Briggs, will always stand as a memorial to his hard-working days. The family has given two strips of land to enlarge the Fuller Cemetery. Herbert Briggs died May 24, 1945. Mrs. Sarah (Malhoit) Briggs, his wife, died March 24, 1951. They both are buried in the Fuller Cemetary. Mrs. Briggs left twenty-two grandchildren and twenty-four great-grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Briggs have two children, Jennie Elizabeth and Harold Earl Briggs Jr ..
This farm on Torrey Road came to Frank Putnam from his father, Leander Putnam. He and his wife Hattie lived here until their deaths in 1932 and 1933 respectively.
Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy purchased the farm, in 1935. He removed the shed, north of the ell of the house, and the large barn, which ran parallel to and very close to the road, and built a garage. The ell of the house was raised in order to construct a kitchen, bath and den, making the upstairs rooms into an apart- ment. Hazel, one of the Murphy daughters, and her husband, Herbert Willard, came here to live.
Mr. and Mrs. William Tunney bought this place and after being here a short time sold to George Bilek, in 1945. Living here with Mr. Bilek are his mother, Mrs. Mary Bilek, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Seiberth and their children, David and Laurel. An attic bedroom has been added to the main part of the house. From
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this room there is a beautiful view overlooking Lake Manchaug. Flower-beds and borders, evergreens and small trees have made this a very attractive home.
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