USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Townsend > History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878 > Part 22
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were : James Hosley, captain : Peter Butterfield, first lieutenant ; Benjamin Ball, second lieutenant.
In September, 1777, the General Court passed a resolve calling for volunteers to go to the assistance of General Gates, who was confronting Burgoyne, at Saratoga. This call received an enthusiastic response from the men of old Middlesex county. Seventy men, forming one company, belonging to Pepperell, Townsend and Ashby, were soon in readiness to march. On assembling for the choice of officers, James Hosley was unanimously chosen captain. By reference to the revolutionary rolls, copied in this work, it well be seen that Col. William Prescott, and other military men of ability and notoriety, were in Captain Hosley's company. The estimation in which he was held as a military man, can be better understood from this position, tendered to him so unexpectedly, than in any other way. Prescott and Wood, or Major Stone, would never have been subordinate to any man unless he honored the office to which he had been elevated.
He was chosen representative to the General Court, in 1787. but he declined the office, and Daniel Adams was chosen to fill that position. He was a modest man, never dictatorial, courteous and obliging in his intercourse with his townsmen and neighbors. There is no record of his death to be found, either in any well-read old family bible or on any tombstone. Time has swept into the abyss of forgetfulness, those manly forms and brave hearts, which dared to stand up against great odds and assert their freedom, but let the sons of Townsend, in all coming time. with fervent gratitude, remember James Hosley and his compatriots.
Matter Hastings
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WALTER HASTINGS, son of Col. Walter Hastings. was born at Townsend Harbor, December 9, 1814. He was only six years old at the time of his father's death. He was so promising a lad, that he was fitted for college by a private tutor ; but he decided not to enter college. preferring a life devoted to mercantile pursuits.
Through the influence of Hon. Amos Lawrence, he obtained a situation in the long-established house of Whit- ney & Haskell, where he remained till, or about the time he arrived at majority, enjoying the confidence of the firm and its numerous patrons.
Upon starting for himself, he was a partner in the firm of Spaulding, Rice & Hastings, in the dry goods business. In buying the goods for this house, he acquired an extensive acquaintance, which was much to his pecu- niary advantage. He has held many positions of trust. which only a clear-headed, honest man, could fill.
He was treasurer of the Suffolk Manufacturing Com- pany, the Tremont Mills. and the Merrimack Woollen Mills, each at Lowell-of all, at the same time. These corporations employed between three and four thousand operatives, the monthly pay-roll of which amounted to about one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. For a number of years, he was treasurer of the York Manufac- turing Company, Saco, Maine. Mr. Hastings has been a director in the Eliot Bank, from its formation, 1851, to the present time : and is also one of the directors in quite a number of manufacturing, fire and marine insurance com- panies. He is punctual to an appointment, and attends to all these interests with fidelity. By judicious investments, he has accumulated a large fortune, and he now ranks among the princely merchants of Boston, where he re- sides.
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The career of this gentleman exemplifies to our youth, the importance of an early and decided choice of a pursuit, in which to engage, when the dawn of man- hood shall sound the reveille for the battle with the world.
HON. JOHN SPAULDING, son of Dea. John Spaulding, was born on Nissequassick Hill, in 1817. For three years he was in attendance at Phillips Academy, Andover, where he fitted for college. In 1842, he entered Yale College, with the freshman class, and remained at that institution until sometime during the senior year, when on account of ill health he left college. Not regaining his health sufficiently to return and graduate with his class. his Alma Mater, without being solicited by any one, some- time afterward conferred upon him the degree of A. M., with all the rights and privileges of an Alumnus. Like many other country boys, he had to depend largely upon his own exertions, to support himself and gain a liberal education. Before the present days of numerous college scholarships, very materially aiding the impecunious student to fight the financial wolf from his door, young men of small means were obliged to work through the vacations, teaching school, and in other pursuits, to find the means to pay college fees and the other expenses of obtaining an education.
Mr. Spaulding entered the Law School, at Harvard University, and pursued the course of study in that school. taking the degree of LL. B., in 1850. Subsequently he pursued his studies in the office of George F. Farley, a prominent lawyer at Groton Centre. In 1851. he was admitted to the bar, and opened an office at Groton Centre, where he remained in practice only a short time. choosing
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Groton Junction for a permanent place of business, where he has since had his office and residence, having also an office in Boston.
In 1872, he was appointed second special justice of the First District Court of Northern Middlesex, and since his induction into that office, he has held a seat on the bench in this court.
Judge Spaulding is neither a prominent politician, or an office seeker, his judgeship being tendered to him without his solicitation, either directly or indirectly. In exercising his right as a citizen he is identified with the republican party, while his religious associations. like most of the numerous Spaulding family, are with the orthodox congregationalists. As a lawyer, he is courteous to opposing counsel, and witnesses of the party opposed to him invariably leave the stand without feeling insulted. He has made the legal profession a pecuniary success, which, considering the large number of learned and eminent members of the Middlesex bar, with whom he has had to compete, could never have been done without good discipline and a large amount of brain power. In 1862, he married Charlotte A., daughter of Alpheus Bigelow, Esq., of Weston. They have no children.
HON. LEVI WALLACE was born, at or near the south- east corner of what was "Hathorn's farm," in Townsend, in 1833. While at the district school he was noted as a good scholar. For nearly three years he attended the Normal School, at Reeds Ferry, a village in the town of Merrimack, New Hampshire. Professor William Russell was then at the head of this institution. He passed the years 1857 and 1858 at Appleton Academy, New Ipswich,
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New Hampshire, during which time he fitted for college. He was a teacher in the Normal School, at Reeds Ferry. for about a year. In 1859, he commenced reading law, in the office of Hon. John Spaulding, at Ayer, and continued in that study till 1862, when he was admitted to the bar, and commenced the practice of law, at Pepperell. In 1868, he was a member of the house of representatives in the Massachusetts Legislature, for the towns of Groton and Pepperell. In 1872, he was elected a member of the Massachusetts Senate, for the Fifth Middlesex District ; and was re-elected to the same office in 1873. On the fifteenth day of August, 1873, he was appointed special justice of the First District Court of Northern Middlesex. and in February, 1874, he was appointed standing justice of the same court.
The mother of Judge Wallace was a Spaulding. There have been frequent instances of intermarriage between these families in Townsend. He resides at Ayer. the location of the First District Court of Northern Mid- dlesex. As a counsellor, he is deliberate and circumspect ; as a justice, he is decided and self-reliant ; as a man, he is of fine personal appearance and good address. In 1863, he married Hannah F. Blaney.
STILLMAN HAYNES, EsQ., the son of Samuel and Eliza (Spaulding) Haynes, was born on Nissequassick Hill, April 17, 1833. After receiving the usual training of the common and select schools of his native town, he was in attendance at Leicester Academy, and the Normal School, at Lancaster. In the last named institution, he was so fortunate as to receive rhetorical and elocutionary instruction from that master of these arts, Prof. William
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Russell, and instruction in the natural sciences, from Prof. Sanborn Tenney. He was for some time. at New Ipswich Academy, an associate teacher, and student with Elihu T. Quimby, who is at present Professor of mathe- matics and civil engineering, at Dartmouth College. He graduated at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, New Hampshire, in 1859, ranking well both in character and scholarship. He excelled particularly in mathematics. During the years of preparatory study, he was successfully employed in teaching advanced village schools, at several places. As the income derived from teaching was some- times inadequate to meet the expenses of his education, he resorted to manual labor to obtain funds to enable him to acquire a thorough education in ancient and modern languages, higher mathematics, engineering and litera- ture. In 1859, he entered the law office of Bonney & Marshall, at Lowell, as a law student, and was admitted to the Middlesex bar, in 1861. He commenced practice at Ashburnham, in 1862, but returned to Townsend, in 1863, and opened a law office. He continued the practice of law in Townsend, till 1868, when he removed to Fitch- burg, and continued in that profession. While he was at Townsend, he was a member of the board of selectmen and served several years on the school committee. Since his removal to Fitchburg he has devoted himself exclu- sively to the practice of law, and by his thorough and patient examination of matters entrusted to him, combined with strict fidelity to his clients, he has attained a good standing and an honorable rank in his profession. He also enjoys the confidence of the citizens of his native town, more especially in matters pertaining to wills and
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trusts, and he is held by them in high estimation for his integrity and legal ability. Mr. Haynes is the youngest, of the five sons of Townsend, who have chosen law for a profession. These men were all born on Nissequassick Hill, and in the same neighborhood. They are all among the living, except Mark Davis, and the three, whose features are lithographed and appear in this chapter, sustain very friendly relations to each other. Mr. Haynes married Hattie M. Kimball, of Temple. New Hampshire. October 8, 1863.
The ancestors of the WARRENS, of Townsend, came over from England, in early colonial times. The direct descent of this family is traceable to Ephraim Warren (born at Chelmsford, in 1731). who came to this town from Chelmsford about 1760. His father's name was Ephraim, and he was a brother of Thomas Warren, who was a captain in the continental army, and also repre- sented Townsend in the General Court, and served on the board of selectmen for a number of years. The Ephraim. who settled here, married Mary Parker, sister of Lieuten- ant-Colonel Moses Parker, of the "27th Regiment of foot in the revolutionary war," and he lived on the Shirley road, about a mile southeast from the Harbor. He is rep- resented, by tradition, as a man some below medium stature, of the Zaccheus-Napoleon type. He was the man who left his plow in the furrow, and started immedi- ately, on horseback, when the alarm was given to the minute-men, on the 19th of April. 1775, mentioned in an- other part of this work. He died in 1812.
Stillman Haynes
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- 130
MOSES WARREN, the oldest son of this patriot, born in 1755, was one of the most influential men, during his time, in this town or vicinity. He was an enterprising business man, trading in neat stock, lumber and land. He bought the place where the hotel now stands, at West Townsend, about 1793, of Israel Hobart. Only the west half of this building was made at that time, the east half being put on soon after the commencement of the present century. This hotel, in Mr. Warren's time, was exten- sively patronized by travellers and market men.
In 1799, when the third New Hampshire turnpike, leading from Townsend to Walpole, New Hampshire. was being made, with much foresight and shrewdness, he purchased a large tract of land at its terminus in this town, and erected the hotel, now standing on the west side of the river, at the centre of the town, intending to secure the custom of travellers at one or the other of the taverns. which he kept for a long time. He was a popular land- lord, extensively known and respected. His tavern, at the Centre, was opened just before the ordination of Rev. Mr. Palmer, in 1800. On that festive occasion, he set tables in every room in his house, to which free access was given to every person who desired to enjoy his hospi- tality. In another part of this book, his name appears as a contractor for moving, setting up and finishing the old meeting-house, on the common.
He married (1776.) Martha Reed, of Townsend. They had five sons and five daughters. Seven of these lived to the age of more than three score years and ten. The oldest (Hannah,) lived to the age of eighty-two years, and the youngest (Martha, married Aaron Keyes,) is still alive at the age of nearly eighty years.
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LEVI WARREN, the sixth child of this family, the picture of whom graces this volume, was born in 1788. He inherited the nervous, active enterprise of his father, who taught him that self-reliance which guided his course through life. Like his father, he also was not afraid of work. Before he was twenty years of age, being "master of his time," he went to Boston, and by his industry and prudence, in a short time, he earned and saved money enough, so that he owned teams, and hired men himself; he prosecuted the teaming business, for a time, in a prof- itable manner.
In 1813, during the war with England, while British cruisers were hovering on our coast ready to prey on our commerce, the government put him in charge of his own teams, and those of other parties, to convey boots and shoes, and other goods, needed in the south, to Charleston, South Carolina, and to return loaded with cotton, and other products of that section, needed in New England.
Subsequently, Mr. Warren was the proprietor of a wood wharf, in Boston, which was a source of wealth to him. Soon after the death of his father (1815). he bought different tracts of land, of his brothers, and from other parties, which, added to what he owned before, and what he inherited as his share of the estate of his father, made him the owner of more acres than most any man in town. A large part of the land in and around West Townsend was owned by the Warrens, of whom Levi was the largest proprietor.
He was the most public spirited man, of his time, in Townsend. When the baptists decided to have a meeting- house, some of them wanted it located about half-way on
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Levi Warren
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the road from the west village to the Centre. By the advice of Levi Warren this building was placed where it now stands, and, as has been heretofore stated he gave the land for the site of this edifice, and more than one-third of the money expended in its erection. In 1818. the hotel and two or three small dwellings. besides Mr. Jonathan Richardson's house, constituted most of the dwelling- houses in what is now the postal centre of West Town- send. This village is largely indebted to the Warrens, of two or three generations, and particularly to Levi, for its present cheerful appearance. Mr. Warren returned from Boston, and made West Townsend his place of residence. in 1837. The baptist church and the young ladies' seminary received his special attention, to the support of both of which he gave his money without stint or urging. In addition to his many acts of beneficence, it must be recorded that, in 1838, he gave the land for the cemetery. at West Townsend, for which the town returned to him a unanimous vote of thanks.
In other parts of this book, his name appears several times as a town officer, a military man, a representative to the General Court, and a benefactor to the institutions at West Townsend. In 1848, he moved to Newton, where he resided till his death, which occurred in 1864, when his remains were accompanied to Townsend for interment : and he now reposes within easy distance from the hum of industry, and the joyous ringing of the church bells of the village, he founded and loved so faithfully.
CHAPTER XIV.
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS.
Town Library and its Origin-Fire Department-Odd Fellows-Town- send National Bank-The Ladies' Benevolent Society of the Orthodox Congregational Church-Townsend Cornet Band- Post-Offices and Postmasters.
In 1858, a book agent canvassed this town for the sale of a set of books, to make up an agricultural library, obtaining the names of some more than one hundred subscribers, who paid three dollars each, and became mutually interested in the enterprise. A farmers' club was talked about but never organized. A committee was chosen to select the books from a long catalogue. Most of the volumes selected were well worthy of the attention of the farmer, but, a part of them, like Peter Pindar's razors, "were made to sell." The books were read con- siderably, for a year or two, when it began to be discussed how to have more books and a larger library. In the winter of 1860, a levee was given at the town hall, ex- pressly in the interest of the library, at which some over a hundred dollars were made after paying all expenses. During the next ten years, two or three gatherings of this kind were held, the object of which was to raise money with which to buy books for the library. Each person.
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having the benefit of this library, was taxed fifty cents a year, to help pay for a place to keep it in and secure the services of a librarian. The number of readers increased ; and at two or three times, when books were to be bought, a good degree of judgment was exercised in selecting standard literature, from the best authors.
In 1873, the shareholders and patrons of the library had an article inserted in the town warrant, to see if the town would take it off their hands, and make it a free library. The town voted to grant annually one hundred dollars for the support of the library ; and a committee has been chosen, each year, to expend the money. This money has all been expended for books, the running expenses having been paid the same as before, that is, by every reader paying fifty cents per annum. The influence of this institution has been excellent, in creating and fostering a taste and talent for reading and observation, and in giving to our youth pleasant thoughts and profitable culture. It contains at present more than one thousand volumes of history, poetry and belles-lettres.
Soon after the conflagration of the steam mill, owned by Walter Fessenden & Son, in August, 1874, a town meeting was called, to learn the opinion of the voters of the town in regard to the propriety of purchasing engines and appliances to extinguish fires. The voters turned out en masse to that town meeting, and after deliberation chose a committee, consisting of nine gentlemen, who resided at different parts of the town, to visit some of the cities and towns of this Commonwealth in order to ascer- tain what was needed, and to report at an adjourned meeting. The committee attended to that duty, and at
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the adjournment presented two reports to the town. The majority were in favor of purchasing a third size first class Amoskeag steam fire engine, to be located at the centre of the town, a hand fire engine for West Town- send, and a chemical fire engine, called the Little Giant, for the Harbor. The minority reported that it was best for the town to purchase a hand machine for the Centre. two chemical engines for West Townsend, with hook and ladder apparatus, and one Little Giant, with hook and ladder apparatus, for the Harbor.
After a long and exciting discussion the town adopted the report of the majority of the committee. At that meeting the town voted to authorize this committee to purchase lands for engine houses, and to locate the same, to buy the engines, hose, nozzles, hose carriages. and every thing necessary for a regular fire department. This committee consisted of Alfred M. Adams, Anson D. Fessenden, E. S. Wilder, Jonas Spaulding, Jr., Alexander Craig, John E. Dickerman, S. W. Upton, William P. Taylor, and John M. Campbell. During the summer and autumn of 1875, the engines, and all the appliances necessary, were bought, and the engine houses were built. The committee introduced first class engines, and built first class engine houses, it is presumed, on the principle that if anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well. A company was soon raised, at the Centre. to man the steamer and hose carriage. and a company was organized at West Townsend, for the hand engine.
On the first of January, 1876, a 'fire department was formally organized, by the choice of the following officers : Edwin A. Spaulding, foreman of Steam Fire Engine Company. at Townsend Centre. Augustus Wilson, fore- man of Eclipse Engine Company, at West Townsend.
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Albert L. Fessenden, chief engineer, A. D. Fessenden, first assistant engineer, A. M. Adams, second assistant en- gineer, Wm. P. Taylor, third assistant engineer, at Town- send Centre ; Lewis Sanders, first assistant engineer. Samuel G. Wilson, second assistant engineer, Miletus Gleason. third assistant engineer, at West Townsend ; Jonas Spaulding, Jr., first assistant engineer, Noah Wal- lace, second assistant engineer, at Townsend Harbor.
Fortunately for the town, there has been no large fire since the inauguration of this department, whereby either the efficiency of these machines, or the skill of the fire- men, has been particularly tested. It may be a question whether a town of some over two thousand inhabitants. scattered over so large a territory, exercised good judg- ment in establishing a department of this kind, so expen- sive, inasmuch as the centre of the town, containing the best dwellings and the most expensive factories of any in town, are well protected by a force pump in the steam mill, and a force pump in the mill of A. M. Adams, either of which are powerful enough to throw water through a long stretch of hose and do good execution. The engines. houses, hose, and every thing connected with the fire department, cost the town, when it was established, about seventeen thousand dollars.
In December, 1866, M. W. Edmund D. Bancroft, grand master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Massachusetts, and the officers of the grand lodge of this order, and J. L. Spring. M. W. grand master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of New Hampshire, together with delegates from Fredonia Lodge. Shirley, Harvard Lodge, Harvard, and Custos Morum Lodge,
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Milford, New Hampshire, assembled at the hall above the auditorium, in the Universalist church building, at West Townsend, and instituted a Lodge of Odd Fellows, and gave it the name of "North Star Lodge, No. 144." At this meeting, the following officers were chosen and duly installed : David Cram, N. G. : Albert Howe, V. G. ; J. F. Stevens, secretary. The regular meetings of this fraternity were held at West Townsend until 1870, when a spacious and elegant hall was fitted up for its accommo- dation at the centre of the town. Apparently this insti- tution is doing a good work in the cause of morality, sociability, and charity. At present this lodge has one hundred and nine members, a part of whom reside in the adjoining towns. In February, 1877, Albert L. Fessenden, a member of this lodge, was elected grand warden, and in August, 1877, he was elected deputy grand master of the R. W. G. L. of Massachusetts, I. O. O. F.
ALBERT L. FESSENDEN, the junior partner of the firm of Walter Fessenden & Son, was born on West Hill, in 1839. His heritage in his personal appearance and temperament is from the side of his mother, whose name was Harriet E. Lewis, coming from a family noted for good health and a large amount of vitality. At a proper age he went to the academy at Wilbraham, where he remained about three years, ranking well in his studies, particularly so in mathematics. To him they were happy days, those that he passed at Wilbraham Academy. When he was about nineteen years of age. and nearly fitted for college, he left the academy and decided to put in his lot with his father, in the manufacturing business. His first service rendered. consisted of a journey to Nova
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