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 28
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Training was a great event for the commissioned officers and the or- derly sergeants in those old days. The captain was allowed to feel rather large on those occasions. The following anecdote, though be- longing to a neighboring State, is illustrative. As the captain of the Governor's Foot Guards, on the morning of Election-day, was moving along the street in New Haven, with great majesty, the boys were struck with his appearance, and whispered to each other : "There goes the Governor." On hearing the words, he turned, and with imposing sua- vity, replied : " Not yet my little lads." Making suitable deductions, this spirit of elation is rather becoming in a military officer.
The boys of the present day can have no idea of an old-fashioned training. The uniforms notable for anything but uniformity ; the guns of all sorts and sizes ; the drill ; the marches, including " whipping the snake ; the sham-fight ; the firing, when no two made a noise at the same time ; the " shouting of the captain," and the wheeling of the " awkward squad ;" and all accompanied by the " ear-piercing fife and the spirit-stirring drum," combined to make a sight worth seeing. The side-shows, the hucksters with pies, hard-boiled eggs and cards of gin- gerbread, and the motley crowd running before, beside or behind the soldiery, added to the comic features of the scene. But though the "training" had so much of the droll and the ridiculous for its accompani- ments, if an enemy had made an attack on those soldiers, he would have found them with courage true as steel, and with a skill in hitting the mark which would prove dangerous to their foes. Then it should be said that the scenes above depicted, characterized that period in our his- tory when the militia had run down, and before the volunteer compa-
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nies had begun to awaken a true military spirit again. Forty years ago one company in this town was disbanded. In eight years more, the other disappeared from view. Previous to the first date, trainings were conducted with great spirit. A sham-fight was a " mimic war," and the soldiers took a just pride in their military appearance. Then came the period of indifference and decline. When the volunteer sys- tem was in vogue, a spirited company was formed in this place-1845 -and made a creditable show when on parade ; but in about seven years, it was found too burdensome to keep up the proper drill, as well as too expensive to procure handsome equipments, and give the required time to company exercises and camp-duties. The company was dis- banded in 1852, since when there has been no military organization in the town. But when the fell and wicked rebellion broke out in the spring of 1861, it was instantly evident that the stuff which soldiers are made of, was here in large measure. And the success of our arms in that great struggle raises the question again, whether it is better for a nation to keep up a costly preparation for war, or on the other hand, by economy of its means, increase its population and resources so as to be more able to cope with its enemies.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
CHAPTER XXI. - CEMETERIES.
Beneath those whispering pines, that oak tree's shade, Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap, Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
The breezy call of incense-breathing morn, The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed, The cock's surill clarion, or the echoing horn, No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed. GRAY'S ELEGY.
In many towns there are burying-yards in every neighborhood, be- sides private burial places for families. Here, the better way of bring- ing the remains of all the departed to the centre, was followed for many years, though the people were scattered over the whole township. At length the yard in the south-west part of the town was set apart for the dead. About a hundred years after the settlement of the town, the Cemetery was put in order and consecrated with appropriate services. More recently the Catholic lot was laid out and fenced. These will be described in their order.
1 .- THE OLD CENTRAL BURYING YARD. " The life of man Is summed in birthdays and in sepulchres, But the eternal God had no beginning."
The Proprietors of Ipswich Canada, on the 27th of October, 1737, voted to reserve five acres out of the lot No. 1, in the south division, " for building a meeting-house on, a burying-place and training-field." The settlers, when they came to look over the locality, decided that a more convenient and better place could be found for the meeting-house and the training-field, and therefore selected the present Common in the centre of the town. In this connection it may be said, that strenuous exertions were made by a few of the inhabitants to have the meeting- house at the centre of the line east and west from Ashburnham to Roy-
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alston, which would be about a hundred rods west of the Common, and about an equal distance east of the house of Enoch Wyman. A road was petitioned for by Abner Curtice, to go from the Village by the above spot, and on towards Templeton. Such a route would avoid the ascent to the Common, as the hill is lower two or three furlongs west, and would pass to the west of the hill north of Luke Wilder's, and the other hill beyond the Bell school-house. But though the road was ac- cepted, once if not twice, by the town, it was never opened. Nor can we doubt the good judgment which fixed upon the old Common as the centre for the meeting-house and the training-field. But in making this decision, the settlers concluded to have the burying-yard at the original location.
It is probable that the original design was to have the meeting-house somewhere south of the old hearse-house, and the burying-yard behind it, according to ancient custom. Then there would be room for the training-field at the north end of the lot, where most of the graves are now. The first grave was back of the supposed spot selected for the meeting-house, and where the first fence was erected. Afterwards the south fence of the burying-yard was run from a point just south of the hearse-house, eastward to the east line of the lot, thus leaving the first grave outside of the yard. By the enlargement of the yard a few years since, and the removal of the wall, at the same time, this first grave is brought again into the sacred enclosure.
There is something touching associated with this first grave. It was made, according to Mr. Hyde, " about 1752;" in the words of Dr. Whiton, " about this time-1755-the precise year not known." Prob- ably the latter date is the nearest to correctness. Here was laid the body of Joshua Priest, the first adult white, and it is believed the first white person, that was buried in the town. He was a blacksmith, and began the Eli Smith, or Thomas farm, since known as the Scribner place, at the summit of the road north of the Luke Wilder place. He was frozen to death on or near the Prentice hill, not far from Merritt Hale's, in a snow storm. The Prentice hill rises east from Waterville, south of the river. It is supposed that while going home, drawing a hand-sled loaded with hay, he fell into some pool or brook, and wet his clothes. Says Dr. Whiton : " I have often seen his lonely grave, but it was long since obliterated by the plow."
Death follows us wherever we go, and thankful should we be, that
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by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, the " last enemy" can be transformed into a friend. But notwithstanding the divine goodness in this regard, we can never cease to mourn the final departure of those dear to our hearts. The spot where their remains find a last resting- place will ever have a mournful interest. As we walk amid the mounds, perhaps carelessly, we are near the dust over which bereaved parents and friends have often wept, the dust of those whose death brought the prematurely gray hair of their parents to the grave. There is not space, nor would it be judicious, to refer to one in a hundred of those who lie buried in the old grave-yard ; but a brief allusion may be made to one cluster of graves where many hopes lie buried. In 1762, December 15, the Rev. Daniel Stimpson was ordained pastor of the Church. He married his cousin Beulah. In less than six years, his wife and two little children were laid in the earth ; and while his eyes were still wet with tears, he was summoned to join them. "Then shall the dust rc- turn to the earth as it was, and the spirit to God who gave it." Their bodies lie near each other, till the resurrection ; their spirits, we trust. were re-united in the land of immortal life. Not a stone marks their graves, and but a few know in what part of the yard they may be found. It is to be hoped that either Mr. Stimpson's descendants, or the citi- zens of the town, will place some memorial where he who was the first minister of the town as well as the church, reposes till the heavens be no more. He was buried at the right of the grave of his son Luther.
It would seem, from the Records, that the yard was not enclosed for many years after its first occupancy. The town voted, March 7, 1768, that " the burying-yard be cleared this year." On the 2d of May, 1797, about forty-two years after the interment of Mr. Priest, the town chose a committee-Deacons Prentice and Hale, and Desire Tolman, afterwards Deacon-" to view the burying-ground, with a view to fenc- ing the same." On the 4th of the following September, a committee of three was chosen to " take security of Samuel Crosby, Esq., and Dr. Israel Whiton, for a passage into the burying-yard, and of Mr. Jonas Bruce, for a strip of land adjoining the east side of said yard." Whether the yard was fenced in 1797, is uncertain ; but if so, the fence was a frail one ; for in 1803, May 2d, it was again voted " to fence the burying-ground." Still the work was delayed, as is indicated by the two following votes ; one on the 21st of November, and the other on the 2d of December, 1803. By the first, the town declined to " buy
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an addition of an acre on the west side of the burying-yard," of Dr. Whiton. By the other, the town decided to " purchase an acre of land west of the burying-ground, till it comes to the road." A committee was chosen to buy the land of Dr. Whiton, with power to fence the yard. It is supposed that the yard was enlarged and fenced at this time.
Since the burial of Mr. Stimpson, many others, aged and young, had been laid around their minister. Dea. Richard Day was killed by an accident in 1774, and was buried, about three-quarters of the distance from the hearse-house to the east wall. No stone marks the spot. Three years before, two lads, William Oaks and Robert Moffatt, aged 17 and. 16 years, were drowned. In those early days, when the people were few, we may not doubt, there was a deep sense of sadness and sympa- thy throughout the town. They were buried side by side near the northeast corner of the yard, close by the grave of Lt. Levi Heywood.
A few graves, unmarked by stones, but identified by Mr. Luke Rice, may be noted. Stephen Bixby, who was killed by Daniel Robbins, was buried near Levi Bixby. The boy Moor, who hung himself, was laid just back of the grave of Benjamin Hubbard. Jonas Bradish was buried near the east end.
A single stone marks the grave of four children of David Stoddard. They all died in 1786. Another stone commemorates three children of Rev. Joseph Brown. One died in 1771, the other two in 1775.
The yard is not rich in cpitaphs. The following, on the gravestone of Joel Rugg, aged 23, who died, August 27, 1775, is not common.
" My youthful days cut short by thee, Are lengthened to eternity ; Yet all that in Jehovah die. Shall live and sing eternally."
It would almost seem as if a fatality attended the Stimpsons. In July, 1781, a child of Samuel Stimpson was drowned in a well nearly opposite the old Nichols tavern ; and ten years later, Mr. Jonathan Stimpson was killed by a falling tree. In the half-century from 1752 to 1803, a generation and a half had fallen asleep, and were quietly laid away in what our Saxon forefathers beautifully called " God's acre." All ages and classes were there :-
"The youth in life's green spring, and he who goes
In the full strength of years, matron and maid,
And the sweet babe, and the gray-headed man."
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
Before the next attempt to improve the yard, in the year 1822, the Rev. Mr. Pillsbury, the third minister, had been buried here with rev- erent hands. Col. Paul Raymond, the elder Prentice, Mr. William Whitney, and hundreds of others, including Browns, Boyntons, Rices, McElwains, Hales, Bixbys, Tuckers, Woodburys, Greenwoods, Flints, Perleys, Crosbys, Polands, Hydes, Wilders ; in a word, representatives of all the early families, were laid in the narrow house.
Nothing farther seems to have been done to the yard, except pri- vately, for more than forty years. In 1847, April 5, the Report of the Selectmen on the matter of a Hearse House was heard by the town, when on motion of Mr. Harry Pitkin, it was voted that the Selectmen be " authorized to build a Hearse House, and repair the fences ; also to purchase additional lands for the burying-grounds." Two years later, June 11, 1849, a committee of three-Dea. Paul Raymond, Mr. John Woodbury, and Dea. John Cutter- was chosen " to lot, and stake off, and number, the several lots in the centre burying-ground." From this it would seem that the former vote respecting the purchase of ad- ditional land, had been carried out by the Selectmen. The following shows that they had done something in the way of fencing. In 1851, March 3, for making " wall round burying-ground, 855.17."
Within a few years last past, this ancient yard has been much im- proved. The parts most recently occupied, have been laid out with regularity, handsome monuments have been set up,-in some cases, tak- ing the place of more rustic specimens of the lapidary's art ;- iron fen- ces have been erected ; the front wall has been relaid, and shade trees have been planted. The children have been honoring their fathers and mothers. Since the opening of the Riverside Cemetery, the remains of quite a number have been transferred to it from the ancient yard.
In 1860, May 28, it was voted to " build a substantial stone wall on the west line of the Cemetery, from the hearse house north." The Cem- etery Commissioners were to see the work done. This vote refers to the old yard. On the 7th of March, 1864, the Commissioners were instructed " to make such improvement in the Old Burying Ground on the Hill as they may think proper." And here, to the lasting honor of Dr. Joshua Tucker, the distinguished dentist of Boston, it should be recorded, that the yard has recently been decorated with numerous shade trees, at his expense.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
THE NEW BOSTON BURYING YARD.
" This sunny plain, beneath that pine-clad slope, Holds fast the dreamless sleepers. The iron-horse With his unearthly shriek disturbs them not :-
They wait the archangel's trump."
ANON.
The burying-yard in the southwesterly part of the town, was set apart in some year between 1770 and 1780. It was given by Capt. Thomas Sawyer, and comprised, at first, but half an acre.
A little child was the first occupant of this yard. This was a child of Aaron Ellis, which was scalded to death. Mr. Ellis lived near where. C. C. Alger's house now stands. The second person buried here was the grandmother of the same Mr. Ellis. Next came the wife of Rob- ert Bradish ; Lydia Morton, and a pair of twins. From this time, this little enclosure has been gathering its inhabitants from all the houses in that section of the town, till now it probably contains more than all who are living on the same territory. Nothing farther is found in the Records respecting the yard before the year 1822, when on the 6th of May, an article was acted upon, " about fencing the burying-yard in the southwest part of the town." Lieut. Paul Raymond, Capt. Israel Whitcomb and Capt. Joshua Stoddard, were chosen a committee " to inquire into the situation of the burying-ground, and see if any addition of land can be purchased to enlarge the same, and also to see something about fencing it, and report." The Report was made at the next annu- al meeting, March 3, 1823, and the same committee was directed to " superintend the building of the fence around the burying-yard." The building of it was " struck off" to Jonathan Wyman, at 831.50.
In 1839 the Selectmen were chosen a committee " to fence the bury- ing-ground near Charles Borman's." This Borman was the son of John G. Martin Burneyman. By degrees the second syllable of his name was dropped, the letter u in the first was changed to o, and his name became Borman. He was a Hessian.
The vote in 1847, (already cited) relative to purchasing additional land for the burying-grounds, applied to this yard as well as that at the Centre. The next year 85.25 were laid out in repairing the fence of this yard. In 1850, June 11, the following were chosen a committee, -viz : George Alger, C. C. Alger, and Joel Sibley-" to lot and stake off, and number the several lots in the New Boston burying-ground."
80
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
In 1862, at the annual meeting, C. C. Alger, Luke Rice, Orrin Nor- cross and Joel Sibley, were chosen a committee " to put the New Bos- ton burying-yard in order."
This yard has a very pleasant location, and by the cultivation of flow- ers and shrubbery, it may become a beautiful cemetery.
THE RIVERSIDE CEMETERY.
" Over the river they beckon to me, Loved ones who've crossed to the further side, The gleam of their snowy robes I see, But their voices are lost in the dashing tide."
MISS PRIEST.
About twenty years since there began to be a want of additional ac- commodation for the burial of the dead. At the same time, there was a strong desire on the part of many, that a new lot should be obtained and laid out after the manner of a modern Cemetery. This growing feeling took shape, by degrees, and finally resulted in procuring and putting in order one of the most beautiful rural cemeteries in the Com- monwealth. A somewhat full account of the steps taken in fulfillment of this sacred enterprise, deserves a place in this history. In giving it the Records will be strictly followed.
. On the 28th of November, 1848, the Selectmen-Messrs. Elisha Beaman, Harvey Wyman and Levi Raymond-were authorized to " pur- chase a piece of land for a burying-ground in such place as they may think will best accommodate the inhabitants of said town." Later in the day, one from each district was chosen " to purchase land for bury- ing-grounds." Thus authorized, the Selectmen, in company with sev- eral gentlemen invited by them, examined various lots in the north part of the town, for the purpose of finding the one most suitable. Among others, they looked at the sightly spot now occupied by Washington Whitney ; the gentle slope of William Brown, southeast of the brick- yard ; the beautiful hill-side extending from Henry Wyman's towards the village, called the Prentiss lot ; the pleasant grounds around the res- idence of James Whitman, called the Tucker lot ; and also the Whit- comb lot, so called, conveniently situated at the north end of the cen- tral burying-yard. They preferred above all locations, the Adams lot, where the two branches of Miller's river unite and form Whitney's pond. Accordingly they purchased several acres of Capt. Oliver Adams. This
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is now the Catholic Cemetery. On the 2d of October, 1849, a com- mittee was chosen to " lot out and fence the new Cemetery." Anoth- er committee was chosen, on the 10th of December, to " purchase an addition to the lot obtained of Oliver Adams ;" they were also author- ized to purchase the Parks lot. The committee on lotting and fencing the Adams lot, laid out the ground in squares, with convenient paths, and drove the stakes. Their bill, including their own services, " for work on burying-ground," at the next March meeting, was 8406.04. The Parks lot was not secured.
On the 4th of May, 1850, the burying-ground committee were " in- structed to examine more lots ;" and on the 23d, were directed to " pur- chase the Parks lot." On the 27th, a town meeting was held which was adjourned to the Adams lot ; met there, and examined that and the Parks lot. On the 11th of June, the vote in favor of buying the Parks lot was reconsidered. March 18, 1851, the Selectmen-Moses Han- cock, Nelson D. White and Oliver Adams-were directed to " make a plan of the lots and number them ;" persons were to select their lots, and the sexton to record them ; also, name and date of burials. A place was to be set apart for strangers. In 1852, March 1, the bill for " the burying-ground road and for stone posts," was 8115.08.
No progress was made during the next four or five years. At length, in 1856, September 6, a committee previously appointed, of which Dea. E. Butler was chairman, reported the Tucker lot as available. A vote was taken to see which lot suited the largest number. The result fol- lows : Parks lot, 14; Adams lot, 20; Tucker lot, 5; Prentiss lot, +. On the 13th of the same month, a new vote was taken, with this result : Adams, 7; Prentiss, 2; Tucker, 4; Parks, 5; Whitcomb, 14. By this time a number of the citizens had become settled in their minds, that the Parks lot-first suggested by Dea. Reuben Hyde-was supe- rior to any other in the whole town for a Cemetery, and they were re- solved to secure it by persevering effort. A new committee was cho- sen with Capt. E. Murdock, Jr., as chairman, who reported to the town on the 6th of October, 1857, in favor of the Parks lot ; whereupon it was voted " to purchase said lot of twenty-five acres." At the same time a committee was chosen-Messrs. E. Murdock, Jr., Gilman B. Parker, John Cutter, Orlando Mason, John H. Fairbanks, Bethuel El- lis and Maynard Partridge, to draw up a " plan for preparing the lot for a Cemetery, and the manner of fencing, and estimate the expense
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of the same, and present it to the town." The committee reported, on the 3d of November, in favor of fencing and some improvements ; and also, " that a portion should be put into lots and sold ; and that as long as any one will pay a dollar for choice, they shall be sold for choice, and all money raised shall be used in ornamenting the ground." It was also voted " that a Board of Commissioners should be chosen an- nually to execute and carry out the instructions of the town given from time to time." Chose Ephraim Murdock, Jr., Seth Tucker, Gilman B. Parker, Bethuel Ellis and John Henry Fairbanks, the first Board of Commissioners.
The Commissioners invited the citizens to appear on the ground at an appointed day, with hatchets and axes, hoes, shovels and rakes, and assist in clearing the ground, and trimming the trees. Many respond- ed to the call, and cheerfully engaged in the work, in the autumn of this year ; and thus the field was prepared for the scientific surveyor.
At the next annual meeting, March 1, 1858, it was reported that $480.84 had been laid out for Cemetery land, and $135.32 for expen- ses incurred by the Commissioners. They were empowered to employ Mr. Amasa Ferrier, of Stoneham, a gentleman of experience and taste, to mark out the avenues and paths, and lay out the lot into squares, circles, ellipses or triangles, according to the nature of the ground. They were also instructed to fence and prepare the Cemetery ground agreeable to the recommendations of the former Board. A new Board was chosen as follows : E. Murdock, Jr., G. B. Parker, N. D. White, E. S. Merrill and J. H. Fairbanks. These have been annually re-elect- ed until 1867, when the vacancy caused by the decease of Dea. Par- ker was filled by the election of Charles J. Rice, Esq.
THE CONSECRATION SERVICES.
The lot was now well prepared for its destined uses. Nature had graced it with varied amenity and loveliness. Mr. Ferrier, with the skill of a landscape gardener, ran all his lines so as to heighten the nat- ural beauty of the scene. The plain, slightly variegated, and covered with sighing pine trees and other natives of the forest, the curving hill- side sloping to the water's edge; the river,-now babbling over the rocks, and then losing itself in the pond-flashing in the sunshine or broken into bubbles by the falling rain drops ; the charming curve, covered'
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with the mayflower,-which in this town, is noted for its peculiar beauty and fragrance-where the tomb is placed ; with the fine prospects in different directions, all combine to render-this spot one of the most de- lightful to be found in a summer's travel. It seems as if the Creator had made it for a sweet and quiet resting-place for the departed.
On the 14th of June, 1858, there was a meeting in the town hall to make arrangements for the consecration of the Cemetery by appropri- ate services. The meeting adjourned to the Cemetery lot, and chose a committee whose duty it was " to name the Cemetery and superin- tend the consecration of the same." The committee were Elisha MIur- dock, George Brown, Sidney Fairbanks, William L. Woodcock, Will- iam Brown, 2d, Orlando Mason, Edwin Parks, William W. Godding, Ja- cob B. Harris and Charles J. Rice. The Commissioners were instruct- ed to build a Receiving Tomb, to be used as a temporary place of in- terment ; to draw up Regulations and submit them to the town ; to pro- ceed to the sale of lots immediately after the consecration services ; and to obtain seven hundred lithographic plans of the Cemetery. The com- mittee reported the following as suitable names for the Cemetery : Riv- erside ; Pine Grove ; Spring Grove ; and Evergreen. The first had a majority of voices.
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