USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Winchendon > History of the town of Winchendon (Worcester County, Mass.) from the grant of Ipswich Canada, in 1735, to the present time > Part 13
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Such was the beginning of the road system of this town. the design of which was to open ways through the piace, rather than to accommo- date families, since there were none on the ground. A mai was the necessary means of bringing them here. On the 13th of February .* 1737-S. it was voted .. that there be a Cart Way out from Dorchester Canada Meeting House Low-which was on the top of the old meeting- house hill .- on the nearest and most convenient way that can be found froma Dorchester Canada road to the centre of the Lomts as laid out in the Township of the said Ipswich Canada, and make such bridges and causeys as are absolutely necessary for making the way passable." This road was "" cut," and in the course of time became the traveled way between Winchendon hill and Ashburnham bil, as it can be traced on the map. I: was continued from the centre of the corrs to Romal- ston line on its way to " Earlington." The next year, February $,-
* The year in old times began with the month of March.
134
HISTORY OF WINCHENDOK.
as for convenience sake we shall fix the dates as if the year began in January-it was voted " that Col. Berry be empowered and directed to agree with some proper person to clear a road that shall be markt out by the Proprietors of Paquaige, from the line of the Township to the Town Road." Paquaige or Bayquaige was Athol, and the road or path thither was probably by the lands of Enoch Wyman and John Raymond, and so on across the plain, and over the river by the Ben- jamin Alger place, thence by the Baptist meeting-house towards Athol. In 1741, March 18, a committee was empowered to " clear the old way into the Township of the trees that are fallen into it." The next year, May 19, Col. Thomas Berry, Capt. Edward Eveleth, and Lieut. Will- iam Brown were chosen a committee to lay out and clear a road from the north part of the Township, by the place where the saw-mill is to be erected, to the South Bound." The saw-mill was at the mouth of Poor's or Carter's pond, so that the road was to extend from the north part of the town, by the centre, and over Raymond hill towards Tem- pleton, via Jonesville. At the same time Col. Berry was directed to take some " proper method as he shall think best to oblige the Propri- etors of Lunenburg and Dorchester Canada to make suitable and con- venient ways" to this place.
Passing an interval of ten years, we find that on the 29th of Janu- ary, 1753, Thomas Brown was appointed " to have the oversight of mending the hi-way." May 6, a committee was directed " to look out the most suitable place to erect a bridge over the river ;" and on the 2d of September following, it was voted " that a foot or horse bridge be built across the river where the county road runs." This bridge was probably over Miller's river, on the road to Royalston, about a mile northwest of Waterville. On the 3d of July a committee was chosen " to petition the next Sessions of the Peace in the county of Worces- ter, in order to establish a hi-way from Lunenburgh through Dorchester Canada and Narragansett No. 2, to Ipswich Canada, and so far as Ips- wich Canada extends ; and if they fail there, to apply to the General Court for the end aforesaid." On the 25th of October a party " came to clear the county road." A committee was appointed, March 10, 1756, " to lay out a road to the saw-mill," from which it must be concluded that the former order had not been carried into effect. October 31, 1759, a committee was chosen to build a bridge over the road to Roy-
135
alshire, beyond Watervile. So che former roce had ined a dead letter.
In 1762, June 30. a road was accepted "im of the burying yard towards the north ; probably extending : Stearns place, where Capt. Levi Stearns mow resides. Also a mai from John Darling's-nos Jason Keith's-oo Me. Parson's mil. Goodspeed & Wyman's establishment som stands. Another Boynton's-in Royalsoon leg-to the same mill : amd stil the mill to the county road ; that is, so the Centre. over the highest part of the hot. In 1763 a soud mi " from the mill mad to Temple Town." This was der in relation to au oid measure. In 1764. a mood William Moffatt's to John Darling's. This mad we now Jason Keith's. to Royalston line. trongi was and over Tallow bill. by the house of M.Sc. T. sanctioned, leading from the meeting-house to Da
Aring's.
Az- merely a union of momis already provided for, and probably other mooi terminating at Benoni Boynoon's : amois Burnam's by Silas Whitney's : enocher Bom Ammon Hodgkins' to the county road near Thomas Manshell's, who Eved near the south end of the burying ground : and another from Nathaniel Bixby's to che Mer- ing-house. This was the Fear of the town's organime er, by tracing the above roads, can ascertain the situation of che GEF ferent families.
In 1706. a road was accepted from William M:Sunt's by David Poor's to the Rovaiston line. If ever made, ir was discontinued los since, as none living remember such a mood. The next year-1767. a road was laid out from the meeting house to Westminster. gr to the place now occupied by Mr. Win, abd theo somit ir east Westminster. This was the " bid road" to Gapiper. br TEm WE: ney's. Several other roads mere ordered, bor it is diBoule to cruce them from the Records, and a subsequent arrangement makes the knowledge of them needless. The same may be said of several rosis accepted in 1:69. and 1770. Indeed, if all the mods which were to- cepted and then discontinued, in these early times, wooli be serared by any man, he would have an ampie farm, provided that all the pams could be brought into one deid. The method was this : a man opened
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
a farm in the midst of woods, and then cut his way out to the nearest neighbor. In time, another neighbor in another direction would sug- gest the need of a road ; until finally a through road would accommo- date several families, and the old by-roads would be needed no longer. In 1771, a committee was chosen to rebuild the long bridge over the river between the two Mr. Oaks', who lived on either side-a mile be- yond Waterville.
There was but little done in the way of opening new, or repairing old roads during the period of the Revolution. In 1780, a man was allowed £9 per day for labor on the road. In 1782, committees were chosen to repair the road " on the north side of the town," and " to build a new bridge over Miller's river by Beeman's mill, a little above the old bridge." The committee to build were Abel Wilder, Benja- min Brown, John Boynton, Josiah Beeman and Paul Boynton.
SECTION 2 .- WINCHENDON LOTTERY.
At the annual meeting March 3, 1783, the following committee, viz : Abel Wilder, Esq., Samuel Crosby, Esq., and Levi Nichols, were ap- pointed " to petition the General Court for a lottery to build bridges." While the committee are getting this permission to raise money by a lottery, it will be convenient to follow up, in chronological order, the business of road and bridge making. On the 12th of March, eight roads were accepted. These were not of general importance, with per- haps one exception. Abner Curtice, whose house was not far east from the residence of Enoch Wyman, succeeded in getting a road ac- cepted which was to start from a point west of the Nichols tavern, where Mr. Cromwell Fisher now lives, about half way to the Benjamin place, and proceed thence over the hill, to the house of Mr. Curtice ; another road, in continuance of this, was granted, extending to Tyler Raymond's. The design probably was to open a road from the north part of the town to the south part, and on to Templeton, which should avoid the high elevation in the Centre, and several lesser hills on the existing road. But the influence of the Centre was too strong to allow of the success of this undertaking, and at a meeting about three weeks later, it was voted " to reconsider the vote accepting the road laid out from Abner Curtice's to the road between Goodhue and Nich- ols' tavern."
HISTORY OF WYCHESTOY.
Action was taken at the same time to secure the body of de bridge, with the expectation that the lottery would provide the funds. No appropriation was made, but a committee to build the bridge vis chosen, as follows : Dea. Hale, Samuel Prentice. David Poor. Amos Merriam and David Goodridge. But the building of : lis bril a great enterprise, and the town took mocom well done ; therefore a committee of eleven persons wss consult with the above committee as to the pin and form the bridge. viz : Joseph Borsten, Abel Wilder. Eso .. Jics B Levi Nichois-who had ofered to pay the extra expense i' che could be moved a little east .* - Timothy Kneeland, Samuel Crosby. Esq., Ebe'r Sherwin. Elipbale: Gooirich, Francis Goodlze, W Whitney and Philips Sweetzer, Jr." But this did not sudisky and therefore they made choice of stil another commit. instructions to the first committee about laying not the micer." fix : Abel Wilder, Esq., Samuel Crosby, Esq., and Amos Heywood. This last committee, appointed to draft instructions for the committee consen " to build the bridge, and repair że mai leading a Cauriestc. N. H., through the town of Winchendon," reported :
" First, that the Committee be, and they are bereiy empr wy rected to proceed directly to build a bridge over Miller's fire. Newton'st mills, beginning a Little ibore a ledge of moks :z : side of the river. a little east of the oil bridge. theace memoss the fires meeting the road from Mr. Nicbois', where is strikes the mud from My s. Heywood's to the mills ; that the barments of stid belge be built 18 free wide with stone and earth ; there be a pillar of stormes ereered in the modlite under the bridge, leaving a water course not exceeding 96 feet wide berw xt caca burtment ; that the committee be empowered mo mike LET DANSSAT !! pairs on the road aforesaid. Provided, that the persons who aber, ve frå materials for the above work, will take tickets in the Erst chass of time InterT granted for the abore purpose, or wait all the Imery be dmme he thel- money. ..
"The original bridge over Miller's river ar Pisosy' mal Eris seret Mois from the present dam to the rams of the stream to the nest ran orer this dam : thatis, mas de a) MY the itm. TUS LANCER !! lottery money.
"In other places called Parsons', Beeman's, ELl's, mod Kr by still other owners.
138
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
Previous to 1784, there had been no uniform rule prescribing the width of the roads. Some were narrow paths, and others were four rods wide. By a vote, on the 15th of March of this year, it was or- dered that all roads should be three rods wide. About the same time, it was voted " to build a bridge over Miller's river for Mr. Crooks and others." This was by the Benjamin Alger place, on the road to the New Boston meeting-house. In the Records of this year, there is mention of a county road from Ashburnham to Fitzwilliam, passing through the site of this Village. It ran by the Hale, Tolman and Stearns farms, to the Parsons mill, and thence by the Keith place.
In 1785, January 13, it was voted " to begin the drawing the lot- tery in the meeting house." Dea. Hale and Benjamin Brown were chosen clerks to assist the manager in drawing. Law-makers and peo- ple in those days had not learned the pernicious effects of lottery gam- bling ; therefore the General Court authorized it, and the people could find no place, not even the church, and no persons, not even the dea- cons, too good to be engaged in the business. Some money was raised, but, as Mr. Hyde well says : " no scheme of taxation could have been devised more injurious and extravagant. It was paying under a fascina- ting prospect of gain, a much larger sum than the citizens would have been obliged to contribute by regular rates. Nor was this all. Some will now recollect-this was in 1849-the time consumed in drawing the several classes of this lottery, the idleness and consequent dissipa- tion it induced, to say nothing of its natural tendency to beget a love of gaming." It must have seemed poor sport to those who had given work or materials for tickets, to draw blanks. Dr. Whiton, who was born a year later, and who doubtless, heard in subsequent years, the comments of his seniors on this affair, says : " three classes were drawn in the lottery. Some money, though less than was hoped, was obtained, and the bridge was re-built two years afterwards. On the part of our Fathers, this lottery affair was a sad mistake ; true, it helped to build the bridge, but at a far overbalancing cost of time and morals. It attracted idlers and speculators to visit the town, introduced various forms of dissipation, and affected injuriously the morals of the people for years afterwards."
SECTION 3 .- NEW ROADS AND BRIDGES.
The project of a county road from Royalston, through the south
133
HISTORY OF WISCHENDOY.
part of this town to Westminster, was started early, and followed up to final success. As it would be of little use to this town, and would tend to divert travel away from the Centre, efforts were made to pre- vent the opening of the road. The tax-payers did not relish che idea of paying for a road which would injuriously afect their interests. On the 14th of March, 1785, after appropriating £120 for highways. the comn chose Abel Wilder and Samuel Crosby. Esors., a committee " to oppose a new county road from Royalston to Westminster." In the autumn. November 14, the sown accepted the bridge by Newton's mills. and on the 24th. voted " to lay on: the money arising from the third class of the lottery, at the bridge by Mr. Philips Sweetzer's." The building committee were Philips Sweetzer. Abner Curtice, and Jacob Hale. The bridge was to be built in the following manner :
" A pair of trussels on each side of the main stream, then westward 20 feet a bummen: with stones, then logs and gravel till is comes to a suitable place for a water course ; then two burments a suitable width for the same ; then logs and gravel till is comes near the west side of the interval ; then two other butments with stone and a pair of trussels between the same. for another water course, and suitable width for two lengths of string pieces. "
This bridge was over Miller's river, near the Oaks piace. a mile from Waterville, on the Royalston road. It seems that there were three water-courses, and many can now remember when the western water passage was closed up with gravel. The stream usually fored in its natural channel, on the east side, but when the floods came, a portion of the water ran through the west passage. At a subsequent meeting, it was ordered that the " bridge should be all logs instead of part stone." When the middle passage was closed. is not recoriei. The marks of it are still visible.
On the 7th of March, 1756, a road was accepted " from John Good- hue's house by Dr. Manning's, by land of Amos Merriam and Cost. Joseph Wilder, to the bridge, then across the river to land of Bar- tholomew Stearns, then by Charles Heywood's, then between land of Stearns and Heywood, to the road leading by the mill, from east to west." As this description is unintelligible to persons now living. it is proper to state that the road extended from some point in the VE- lage, by the Parsons mill, across the river, and on by the houses of Mr. Sumner Wyman and Mrs. Connor.
140
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
Winchendon had now, in 1786, spanned its principal river at three places, viz : in the Village, thus opening travel to the north ; at the Oaks or Ball place, leading to Royalston ; and at the Crooks, or Alger place, leading to New Boston and on to Payquaige. Two of these, if not all three, were substantial works, and creditable to the enterprise of the people in that day of small means, just after the Revolution. The first bridges had, without doubt, been plain, rough structures ; these were a great improvement, as the times demanded. Roads pen- etrated to the extremities of the town, though most of them were mere bridle, or at best, cart paths. The great roads from Ashburnham to Royalston, and from the north line to Templeton, as well as that from Winchendon to Fitzwilliam, all radiating from the Common, were prob- ably passable for carriages and teams. Not much was done for several years following by way of making roads or bridges. The few improvements of this nature will be indicated according to the dates.
October 8, 1787, it was voted " that Asa Ellis and Thomas Wyman build a bridge over Priest's brook, and be allowed to take them out of their town rate." This bridge was west of the New Boston meet- ing house, and near the edge of Royalston. The next year, March 10, there was a vote to build a bridge over the river near Mr. Haven's. In 1789, £150, or $500 was raised for highways. Considering the price of labor at the time, this was a liberal appropriation. On the 2d of March, the town voted " to build a bridge over Miller's river on the new county road from Royalston to the north part of Templeton, by Mr. Thomas Wyman's." The committee to build the bridge were David Hubbard, Eliphalet Goodridge, and Thornton Barrett. This bridge was a little west of Denison pond, where Mr. Patch has resided for many years. It appears therefore that the new road was opened in spite of opposition and remonstrance. At the same time a road was accepted, for Benjamin May, beginning at the State line, (Rindge,) and passing over the brook by said May's house, and extending south to the county road to Fitzwilliam. Paul Raymond, Jr., obtained an alteration of the road extending from " the top of the hill, in Jonas Hey- wood's land to the road now trod at Asa Robertson's barn."
A new attempt was made on the 10th of September to get a road by the house of Abner Curtice, with the probable design of making his place the centre of the town.
141
HISTORY OF WISCHENDOS.
In 1791, Mar 9, a road was accepted from George Cofn's to Bill Hancock's; that is. from Columbus C. Alger's by the house of Lake Rice. This was never opened to travel. A few other roads were Lc- cepted not far from this time. but they will be included in a subsequent description.
SECTION 4-THE BRIDGE BY DR. HALL'S.
On the fourth of April. 1721. a committee was chosen to repair the bridge by Dr. Hall's. Another committee to build the bridge over the river by M .. Goodbue's, had been chosen in the preceding November. Both rotes referred to the same bridge. May 9, the project of repair- ing the bridge by Dr. Ziba Hall's was given up, and a committee con- sisting of Benjamin Hail, Esq .. Lieut. Joseph Boynton api Mr. Thom- as Gracon, was chosen " to report whar bridge shall be built by Dr. Hall's" who reported as below. I: is a fair inference that he bridge built by the lottery-money was a miserable failure and morty of its origin. The Report is here given in ful, with the lening out of the works, as it may be pleasant to carpenters, bridge builders, and others. to know how things were done, and at what prices, seventy-fre Tears ago. The Report is as follows :
" REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
The committee propose to have the bridge PLAS OF SAND BEIGE built ader the above pian, and to be sixteen feer wille, and to have the posts so long as 10 have the bridge lay straight from one but- mens to the ocber : the cap pieecs and the outside parts to be gor sixteen inches ag nare ; the inside ports to be gos 12 inches square : the girts to be gor 12 by 8 inches aymare, and to have the mails framed de to the top of the cap pieces."
This Report was accepted. Then Thomas Gratin, Zita Hall sod John Barr were chosen a committee " to let out the bridge if they can, to advantage, and report" to an adjourned meeting : whi cordingly did on the 8th of September. In the meantime, do bai been granted for the purpose of building the bridge. The Report. which was adopted, was as follows :
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
" List of timber for compleating the bridge.
Provided by Mr. 4 cap sticks, 16 by 16, 20 feet long.
8 posts, 16 by 16, 18 feet long.
David Farrar. 4 12 by 12, 18 feet long, £4, 13s.
Mr. Joseph Raving the bridge compleate, 1, 4.
Heywood. Logs for 1000 plank delivered at the mill, 0, 18.
Mr. Haywood Kidder, Ten string sticks, at 3s. each, 1, 10.
Mr. Nath'l § 4 small posts, 12 by 12, 18 long. 16.
Bixby. 4 girths, 12 by 12, 20 long.
Jewett Darling,
Plank logs for 1500 feet of plank, 1, 10.
James Murdock.
James Hall, One oak log for braces,
5.
Mr. Bart'l'w
Stearns.
Framing, raising and covering, fit for raving, 5, 0.
( Sawing 2500 feet plank, and moving the same 2 10.
Ziba Hall.
to the bridge, and sawing the braces for do.
£18, 6.
Service of the committee in letting out the above business, and attending on the same, 1, 10.
£19,16."
Thus the committee came four shillings within the amount appro- priated.
The next year it was voted to put extra work on the road leading from Dr. Hall's, (by the mill,) to Fitzwilliam ; and a road was accept- ed from Amos Edmands' to the old road leading from the Village to Ezra Hyde's. In May, it was voted to alter the road from near the Boynton place north to the Rindge line. This road was " just west of Hananiah Whitney's [Joshua Nutting's] house."
In 1793, May 6, £30 were granted " to be laid out on the county road between Mr. Kidder's and Fitzwilliam. A road for Levi Divoll, leading westerly to the road extending from Israel Whitcomb's by the poor farm to the meeting house, was accepted. Also, a road for Aaron Massey.
In 1794, £150 was the grant for highwavs. On the 5th of May, a road for Ezra Hyde was accepted, leading from his house down the hill, across Miller's river, where the two pail shops now stand, and a few rods on to the road that went from Nichols' tavern over Benjamin hill, by Dea. Samuel Prentice's to Royalston.
143
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
In 1795, there was considerable stir about roads, but these were generally short, and for private convenience. Samuel Brown secured the change of direction of one or two roads on the east of his farm, near Thomas Greenwood's ; and a road was laid out for Mr. Isaac Taylor, in the southeast section of the town ; and a slight alteration was made in the road at the north end. It was also voted. Septem- ber 3, " to mend the north end of the bridge by Goodhue's mill :" and on the 24th, "to repair the bridge over Miller's river by Mr. Crooks', to last this fall, and preparations be made for building a bridge next summer."
In 1796, April 4, an important vote was passed, viz: " that the town will lay out their roads for the future by a point of compass." Up to this time the mode had been on this wise : " from a stake and stones by Mr .- 's barn to a pine tree with - chors, - rods ; thence to a beech tree wRh - chops. - rods," and so forth. On this account it has been exceedingly difficult for the author to trace many of the old roads.
On the 5th of May, a committee was chosen "to oppose the new county road proposed to be laid out in the westerly part." This was another project to compel the town to build a road which would divert travel and business away from it. A proposal for a road from James Raymond's to Dudley Perley's, was negatived. This was renewed from time to time, but always defeated ; the fear being probably chat it would gradually lead the people in the east section, to do business in the Village, where were a store and mills. A half century passed away, and then a road was opened from the Estey school house by the houses of Mr. Raymond's children, on the way to Gardner.
In 1797, May 2, a road was accepted from Mr. Phinehas Parks' to Mr. Amos Edmand's. This was ". cut out" in part, but afterwards the vote was reconsidered. Like the Raymond road. it was delared more than half a century, and then laid from Mr. Parks' to Hydeville. It was a great point to secure the travel from Fitzwilliam : therefore £50 were granted to improve the road beyond Mr. Kidder's. and on to the State line.
The county road on the westerly side was put through, notwithstand- ing the opposition of the town, and then in 1799, the grand inquest of the county found an indictment against the town for not making and
.
144
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
keeping in repair a county road, that was laid out in 1797. Dea. Moses Hale was chosen as agent to appear in behalf of the town at the next Court of General Sessions of the Peace, at Worcester, and make answer. At the same time, chose Mr. Paul Raymond, Jr., as a committee " to hire as much labor as he can for fifty dollars, to be laid out to the best advantage on said county road." This was Lieut. Paul Raymond, son of Lt. Col. Paul Raymond, and father of the late Dea. Paul Raymond. His name appears in connection with roads and bridges during the next quarter of a century. The Selectmen were charged with repairing or building the bridge over Miller's river near Mr. John Day's, but afterwards the matter was put into the hands of Lieut. Paul Raymond, " to repair the old bridge and causey," with sixty dollars to pay expenses. Later, $48 dollars were added.
The expense of opposing the new county road and of neglecting to work upon it ran up to quite a sum-viz :
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