USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > History of the town of Westford, in the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts, 1659-1883 > Part 24
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Chaffargent
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M. E. Church, Graniteville.
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ECCLESIASTICAL.
inscription "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts."
Rev. Nathaniel B. Fisk, the second pastor, received his appointment in April, 1871, and remained three years. Dur- ing his ministry a bell was procured for the church edifice, and $2000 paid on the church debt. In the spring of 1874 Rev. James F. Mears became pastor and remained two years.
In 1871 Mr. C. G. Sargent presented a receipted bill for .
$1305 for work done and money advanced by him.
The society worshipped in the auditorium for the first time on the Sabbath, March 26, 1871.
Rev. Miner H. A. Evans was appointed to his second pastorate in 1876, and continued three years. The financial crisis proved trying to the church. Mr. Charles G. Sargent, the chief financial patron of the church died July 16, 1878. He had contributed about $5000 and the site to the church, and he left a further pledge of $1000.
The official board passed the following preamble and resolution :
" Whereas, Divine Providence has removed from this life Charles G. Sargent, chairman of our Board of Trustees,
"Resolved, That the official board expresses its profound esteem for the life and character of Mr. Sargent, and its sym- pathy with the family and the society, which have lost a devoted friend and faithful counsellor."
Since the death of Mr. Sargent the debt incurred by building the church, has been entirely extinguished, partly by the efforts of the society and partly by the generosity of Mr. Sargent's heirs, who paid the last installment of $2400.
A medallion of Mr. Sargent has been placed in the church by Rev. M. H. A. Evans, the first pastor.
Rev. Alfred Woods, a native of St. Johns, Newfound- land, was appointed minister in charge in April, 1879, and remained three years, closing his labors in April, 1882.
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CHAPTER XI.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.
THE people of Westford have always supported the cause of popular education with commendable liberality. Schools were at first kept in private houses,* and for only one term in the year. At a later date there were two terms each year, but these were short. The town was early divided into school squadrons, of which there were four : the Centre ; the South, corresponding to Parkerville; the West, corre- sponding to Forge Village; and the North, including the region about Long-sought-for Pond. For a long time the selectmen seem to have had the entire control of the schools. They generally made all the contracts with the teachers, and gave the orders to the town treasurer for the payment of their wages. In those early days that long-suffering body of men, now known as the school committee, had no exist- ence.
The first votes of the town respecting schools which appear on the record are these : "March 4, 1733-'34, voted to chose four men for a Commity to provide a schoolmaster for the insuing year. Voted, Ensign .Jonathan Hartwell, Joseph Underwood, Ensign Joseph Keyes, and Joseph Hil- dreth, Jr., Comt. to provide a scool for insuing year."
" March 3, 1734-'35. Voted to raise twenty pounds money to pay ye scool master."
* September 23, 1757. "It is agreed that the places for the school to be kept for the year ensuing shall be as follows, to wit: At Mr. Aaron Parker, Jr's., for the southeast part of the town; at Lieut. William Fletcher's, for the southwest part; at Timothy Prescott's, for the northwest part, and at Samuel Burge's, for the north- east part." It is the school, not schools; for they regarded it as one.
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May 28, 1735, the selectmen voted to "pay to Mr. Joseph Underwood, Junior, for his keeping scool in this town of Westford, 1734, the sum of £16 to be in full for sd ser- vice."
It is apparent, therefore, that the name of Joseph Under- wood, Jr., stands at the head of the list of teachers in this town. He graduated at Harvard College in 1735 ; was the son of Joseph and Susanna (Parker) Underwood, and was born in Reading, Massachusetts, in the year 1708. He studied for the ministry but was never ordained. It is supposed that he died in this town suddenly, about the year 1748.
The name of the second teacher was Ephraim Craft. " April ye 27, 1736. Pay to Mr. Ephraim Craft for his keeping scoll in this town one month, in the year 1736, £2 5s., to be in full for his sarvis."
Josiah Burge was the third teacher. " December 13, 1736, the selectmen agreed with Josiah Burge to keep school in this town one month." This and the preceding extract seem to show that the town had a school for one month only during the year. Josiah Burge was one of the earliest in- habitants and his homestead was near the house of Daniel W. Sherman.
" May 16, 1738, voted that the articol of skool should be dismissed." But, " December 4, 1738, voted to choos a commity to higher a schooll master for keeping schooll this winter," and they chose Captain Thomas Read and Joseph Hildreth, Jr., for that committee.
In the year 1739 William Bowen comes into notice, and he became a teacher of some notoriety. He had more or less to do with the schools from 1740 to 1775, a period of thirty- five years. He travelled over the town, keeping school in three out of the five parts into which the town was divided .*
* It is said that he was a retired minister and lived on Frances Hill, near the residence of Warren Hunt. A story is told of him, that, when teaching in Stony Brook squadron, he started for the school-room one morning, after a heavy fall of snow. A huge drift had formed across his path and into this the boys had dug a
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
In 1741 the town voted to raise £100, old tenor, " £40 for the scholl and the rest for town debts or county rates or taxes and squerls [squirrels] and bords [birds]. The select- men have liberty to dra [draw] money out of the treasury for these squirls and burds as the law directs."
This was quite a liberal proportion for schools of the whole amount raised, and after paying town and county charges, there was probably little left for the squirrels and birds. In 1742 the number of schools was multiplied by a vote to have six squadrons or districts.
The first woman who taught in the public schools was Mrs. Edward Bates, whose maiden name was Mary Snow. She was employed in the years 1740-'43
Dea. Andrew Spalding was a teacher in 1739, '42 and '54 ; John Abbot in 1747, and frequently after that year.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
In 1647 the General Court " ordered that when any town shall increase to the number of one hundred families or households, they shall set up a grammar school, the master thereof being able to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the University."
In order to comply with this law, this town was early compelled to hire graduates from Cambridge to take charge of one school, which was called the grammar school. It does not appear, however, that the graduate or member of college always taught the school at the Centre; but he is sometimes designated, by way of eminence, the grammar school teacher. The names of some of these are given, with their years of service and of graduation :
1750, Jonathan Kidder, a graduate in 1751. He was the son of Thomas Kidder, of Billerica.
hole, carefully concealing it by laying blocks of snow over the top, and into it the luckless pedagogue fell, much to his discomfort and greatly to the amusement of the mischievous urchins who set the trap. He died in poverty.
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1753, Azariah Faxon, a graduate in 1752.
1753, Joseph Perry, a graduate in 1752. Perhaps he is the man who married Sarah, daughter of Rev. William Law- rence, of Lincoln, and settled in East Windsor, Connecticut, and died in 1783.
1756, Stephen Shattuck, Jr., a graduate in 1756.
1757, John Munroe, a graduate in 1751. He was of Con- cord ; taught in Long-sought-for squadron and Forge Vil- lage.
1758, Peter Russell, a graduate in 1758.
1759, Amos Moody, a graduate in 1759. He became a minister ; died in 1819.
1759, John Treadwell, a graduate in 1758. He was from Andover ; a minister.
1761, Willard Wheeler, a graduate in 1755. He was of Concord ; became Episcopal minister of Scituate, and died, 1810, aged 75.
1762, Penuel Bowen, a graduate in 1762. He is sup- posed to be the man, born in Framingham, who was ordained pastor of the New South Church in Boston, April 30, 1766, and was dismissed May 12, 1772.
1762, William Russell, a graduate in 1758.
1762, Jeremiah Dummer Rogers, a graduate in 1762.
1764, Stephen Hall, a graduate in 1765.
1764, Nathaniel Cooper, a graduate in 1763.
1767, Jonathan Crane, M. D., a graduate in 1762.
1768, William Hobart, a graduate in 1774.
1769, Elijah Fletcher, a graduate in 1769. Born in Westford, 1743 ; taught for two or three years ; minister of Hopkinton, N. H.
1772, Mr. Ebenezer Allen, a graduate in 1771.
1775, Thomas Whiting, a graduate in 1775.
1785, Amos Crosby, a graduate in 1785. He was after- ward tutor in the college, 1788-'92.
1787, Jonathan Procter, a graduate in 1789. He was born in Westford and was the son of Nathan Procter ; taught several terms.
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
1787, Ebenezer Hill, a graduate in 1786. He was born in Cambridge in 1766; taught in Stony Brook squadron, at the Centre, and at Forge Village. He married Mary Boyn- ton of this town and settled as a pastor in Mason, N. H., in 1790, where he died in 1854, aged 88 years.
1790, Asa King, a graduate in 1791. He was born in Westford, February 10, 1770 ; the son of Rogers and Lydia King.
1792, Jacob Abbot, a graduate in 1792. He was a min- ister in Windham, N. H.
1792, Levi Hedge, a graduate in 1792.
1793, Joseph Prince, a graduate in 1793.
1793, Samuel Thatcher, a graduate in 1793. The rec- ords say that Abel Boynton was paid in 1793, " for bringing up two schoolmasters from Cambridge"; probably, Prince and Thatcher.
1793, Abraham Randall, probably a graduate in 1798.
1796, Stephen Cogswell, a graduate in 1797.
1800, Willard Hall, a graduate in 1799. The son of Willis and grandson of Rev. Willard Hall; he taught in Stony Brook District.
In 1748 the number of tax payers had increased to one hundred and forty, and the town was under obligation to have a grammar school. But the people neglected to establish one and were indicted.
December 25, 1750, the town paid Thomas Read, Esq., " for what money he expended in going to court to answer to the presentment against the town for not having a grammar school last summer." It does not appear from the records, however, that any school of that grade was maintained until 1752, when Mr. Azariah Faxon was employed, and perhaps he was, in fact, the first teacher of the kind here.
In 1764, May 23rd, the town voted " to hire a school- dame the following six months from the above date, and to keep the school in six parts of the town." One dame for six parts - and a peripatetic one at that, since it was not easy to divide up this official personage and let her wield the rod in
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six schools at once ! This rotating process was often prac- tised, for in 1765, September 2nd, the selectmen made an agreement with Mr. Stephen Hall, then fresh from college, to keep school in Stony Brook squadron ; then called him to the Centre; in December moved him to the school in the southwest part, and in January to the southeast. In the fol- lowing year they shifted him around in this manner : One month in the Centre, one month in the northwest, so that in one school year he fairly " boxed the compass." Probably this educational Sartor Resartus drew a long breath when he reached home from his last pilgrimage .*
December 17, 1787, the town " voted to build school- houses in the several school squadrons, and that each squad- ron draw their own proportion of the money which shall be raised for that purpose. Voted to raise one hundred and forty-five pounds for the above purpose. Voted to choose a committee to affix the lines of the several squadrons and to proportion the money which is raised for building the school- houses. Chose Joshua Read, Jonathan Keep, David Good- hue, Jonathan Carver, Thomas Richardson, Joseph Keyes and Samuel Wright, committee." The language implies that the town had no school-houses within its limits ; but in the following year it was voted " that each school squadron choose a committee for themselves for building and repair- ing the several school-houses in this town." This seems to show that they had some old houses that needed repairing, and the vote hints, also, at the independent district system which prevailed so long in this Commonwealth. That sys- tem was adopted by enactment of the Legislature in 1789, and continued in force in this town until the year 1869, when it was abolished - a period of eighty years. The records furnish evidence that the town has ever been careful to nour- ish and support its common schools. Only on one occasion do they show the least faltering, and that was indicated by
* Widow Elizabeth Nutting was the travelling school teacher in 1764. The first teachers were men, but women were soon employed, and they came gradually to be regarded as the best instructors.
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
postponing action at a certain meeting, but probably the mat- ter was put right at the next meeting. The sum appropriated to the support of schools in those early days will not suffer in point of generosity or liberality when compared with the amount now granted. Wealth had not then accumulated, and to many of the people it was a hard struggle to live in any way, but education was not neglected. From the passage of the Stamp Act in 1768, to the adoption of the Federal Constitution in 1789, the public burdens were very heavy. The depreciation of continental money, the large exactions of England, and the expenses of the Revolutionary War, were a severe test of their attachment to the system of popular education which they early adopted and steadily fostered. It may be that their progress in mental achieve- ment in those troublous times was somewhat retarded, but there is surely reason for gratitude that they did not allow the system to drift upon the lee-shore of barbarism. Here, in the old Bay State, in towns like this, is the seed-bed out of which the germs of educational life have been transplanted to other States to thrive in vigor and beauty there. But not merely in the support of common schools did the people show their appreciation of sound learning. Some of them, near the close of the last century, began to see the need of a school of higher grade, and by their efforts and liberality the Academy was called into existence.
THE ACADEMY.
In 1792, several gentlemen met together and agreed " to form themselves into a society by the name and institution of the Westford Academy." Articles of agreement and sub- scription were then drawn up and signed by fifty-four per- sons ; and at the head of the list stand the names of Zaccheus Wright, John Abbot and Abel Boynton, each of whom sub- scribed £30. The town also contributed to the original fund and became entitled to its benefits. "May 7, 1792, voted that the town will have twenty shears in the accademy at six
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pounds a shair, and the town to have Equal privileges with the other subscribers. Voted to chose a committee to Inspect the Shairs that the town voted to subscribe. Chose Joseph Keyes, Mr. Francis Leighton, Captain Pelatiah Fletcher, Mr. Joshua Read, Lieut. Jonas Prescott for sd committee. Voted that the committee subscrib the twenty shairs the town voted to have in the Cademy in behalf of this town. Voted that the Representive youse his Influence in the gen- eral Cort to obtain an act of Incorporation for the acadamy in this town." (Records, vol. iii., p. 78.)
The subscription by the town of twenty shares at six pounds each amounted to one hundred and twenty pounds. In addition to this, Zaccheus Wright gave the sum of three hundred pounds in real estate, the conveyance of which was to be made to the trustees of the Academy as soon as an act of in- corporation should be obtained. These several subscriptions amounted to £978.
On the 30th of April, 1792, the subscribers met and or- ganized by the choice of Zaccheus Wright, president ; James Prescott, vice-president ; Rev. Caleb Blake, Hon. Ebenezer Bridge, Rev. Ezra Ripley, Rev. Moses Adams, Hon. Joseph Bradley Varnum, Sampson Tuttle, Esq., James Prescott, Jr., Mr. John Abbot, Dr. Charles Proctor and Mr. Jonathan Carver, trustees.
The subscribers, or proprietors, as they were afterwards styled in the records of the Academy, held meetings from time to time to urge on the work they had undertaken. Measures were adopted for purchasing a site and erecting thereon a building for the exclusive use of the school or academy. A committee was also appointed to procure an act of incorporation.
November 2, 1792, the town voted " to give liberty to the subscribers of the accadamy to Build a house on the Com- mon if the Land can't be Bought of Miss Lidy Keyes to set sd house on." *
* Miss Lydia Keyes then owned a lot of land near Alvan Fisher's. She was probably the daughter of Joseph Keyes, Jr., born in 1724, and died unmarried.
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
The land on which the building now stands was pur- chased in 1793. It was once a part of the farm of Timothy Fletcher, Jr., who lived in the house now occupied by Cyrus Hamlin, or in one that stood on the same spot. Fletcher sold it to Oliver Hildredth in 1781, and Hildreth sold it to Levi Parker in 1785. Parker mortgaged the same to Rich- ard Manning, of Salem, in 1789. When Parker bought, there were buildings on it ; Parker's mortgage says, a dwelling-house, barn and blacksmith's shop. In 1793 Parker conveyed it by the following deed which is given in brief :
" Í, Levi Parker, in consideration of five pounds paid by Zaccheus Wright, Abel Boynton, Benjamin Osgood, James Prescott, Samuel Fletcher, Abijah Read, Jonathan Keyes, John Prescott, Levi Parker, Isaac Cumings, John Hildreth, Jonathan Carver, Timothy Prescott, Elijah Hildreth, Joel Abbot, Samuel Adams, Joseph Jewett, Matthew Scribner, Nathaniel Boynton, all of Westford, do grant, sell and con- vey to the forenamed persons a certain piece of land, situated in Westford, beginning at the southeasterly part of Abel Boynton's garden, thence twenty-five feet easterly to the common training field, thence southerly by said common twenty-four feet, thence westerly twenty-five feet by said Parker's land; thence twenty-four feet by said Boynton's land to the first bounds."
This deed does not seem to have been acknowledged until the year 1822, when Parker was living in New Hamp- shire. He also conveyed to the proprietors or trustees in 1793 another lot, called the shop piece, which he had pre- viously bought of Abel Boynton.
May 6, 1793, the town voted " that Lieut. Levi Parker may move his shop unto the East side of the common." This being removed, the land was unencumbered, and so passed into the hands of the trustees.
August 3, 1792, the proprietors adopted certain rules and by-laws for the regulation and government of the school ; and among other things it was provided, "that the English, Latin and Greek languages, together with writing, arithmetic and
Westford Academy.
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the art of speaking should be taught, and, if desired, prac- tical geometry, logic, geography and music ; that the school should be free to any nation, age or sex, provided that no one should be admitted a member of the school unless able to read in the Bible readily without spelling."
The act of incorporation was passed September 28, 1793. It recites that over £1000 had been given by various parties for the establishment of the Academy ; but the records of the early meetings of the subscribers specify only the gifts before mentioned. In the meantime, however, these may have been increased by additional subscriptions.
May 5, 1794, the town voted " to raise the one hundred and twenty pounds the town was to give for the benefit of the Academy, the one half to be paid by the first of October next, and the other half by the first of January next."
The first meeting of the trustees under the act of incor- poration was held on the 2nd of April, 1794, at the house of Mr. Joel Abbot, and was continued by several adjournments to the 21st of July following. At this meeting the arrange- ments seem to have been completed, or nearly so, for the orderly working of the institution. James Prescott, Jr., was chosen secretary of the board, and was re-elected for several successive years. Rev. Moses Adams, of Acton, was chosen president pro tempore, and Rev. Edmond Foster, of Little- ton, and Rev. Hezekiah Packard, of Chelmsford, were chosen trustees in addition to those before named. John Abbot, Sr., was chosen treasurer and served one year, being succeeded in that office by Jonathan Carver. At this meeting Mr. Levi Hedge was requested to have a public exhibition on the 4th of July. This is the first intimation on record of his being in office as teacher or preceptor .*
Public exhibitions seem to have been continued for many years, and tradition says that they were attended with great interest. Academies were rare then, and the attendance
* In 1806 the town voted "not to prevent the Academy scholars from holding exhibitions in the meeting-house." Mr. Hedge had previously taught in the public schools here.
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from other towns and from considerable distances was much larger than it now is.
In May, 1797, a committee of the trustees was appointed to attend to and investigate the interest of the corporation in a late grant of land in the district of Maine. It is presumed that this grant was made in pursuance of a policy adopted by the State for aiding and encouraging academic institutions. This grant consisted of half a township in Aroostook County, in the southeast corner and on the border of New Brunswick, " beginning at a spruce tree four miles from the monument at the head of St. Croix River, running north thirteen degrees east, three miles to Groton Academy grant."*
It was sold not long after for $5,810, as appears by the report of the committee. . It contained 11,520 acres, and was sold for fifty cents per acre ; but as it was sold partly on credit, it was some time before the proceeds of the sale were fully realized.
In tracing the history of this Academy the names of sev- eral gentlemen occur who were more or less prominent in public life, and especially in their connection with this school, and a brief notice of their lives and characters very justly forms a part of this history.
First among the early friends and promoters of this insti- tution stands the name of Zaccheus Wright. His interest in it is evinced by the liberality of his gifts ; and the estimation in which he was held is apparent from the fact that he was elected the first president of the board of trustees, and was annually re-elected to that office till 1808, when he declined further service. His ancestors came from Woburn, and were among the first settlers of Chelmsford. He was the son of Ebenezer and Deliverance (Stevens) Wright, and was born in Westford October 27, 1738. He died in 1811, aged 72 years and four months. He served in the revolutionary
* Groton Academy, now known as the Lawrence Academy, was incorporated the same year, and the land granted to it was situated adjacent to the grant made to this institution.
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army and was in the battle of White Plains. He was colonel of a regiment, but did not serve through the war. Returning home he was conspicuous in town affairs, holding nearly every position within the gift of his fellow-citizens ; was often selectman ; was member of various important committees ; representative to the General Court many times ; delegate to political conventions, and justice of the peace. In 1773, at the age of 35, he became a member of the church in full communion, and was highly esteemed as such. Long after his decease his name continued to be mentioned with respect as one of the best and most public-spirited men that Westford had produced. He is said to have been a man of uncommon size, weighing, perhaps, two hundred and fifty pounds, yet active and agile, constantly superintending his farm, and capable, when occasion called, of chasing a flock of sheep as nimbly as the most lithe and youthful of his hired men. He married, January 5, 1764, Rachel Parker, of Chelmsford. They had no children.
Next, perhaps, in prominence among the founders of the 'Academy, stands the name of James Prescott, Jr. He was the youngest son of Col. James Prescott, of Groton, and was born there, April 19, 1766. He was a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1788; read law and com- menced the practice of his profession in Westford, where he was residing at the time the Academy was started and where he spent about ten years. For many years he filled the office of secretary of the board of trustees, in which he was succeeded by Rev. Caleb Blake. He was president of the board from 1815 to 1827, when he declined a re-elec- tion. After his return to Groton upon the death of his uncle, Oliver Prescott, who was for many years Judge of Probate for the county, he was appointed to that office, and soon after was made Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the county. He has been described as one possessed of a strong discriminating mind, a good classical scholar, and a learned lawyer. He died October 14, 1829.
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