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 3
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SECTION 4 .- SURFACE ; WATER, PLAINS, HILLS, &c.
The map of the town exhibits the external features of the township with more accuracy than could be attained by verbal description. A few words however may be of use in aiding a stranger to understand the surface, and the general appearance of the town.
WATER .- The location and course of lakes and rivers show the configuration of the land. As water always flows down hill, it is easy, by tracing brooks and rivers to their source, to form an idea of the land surface of a town, county or state. It is convenient therefore, in describing the surface of Winchendon, to begin by a brief reference to its lakes, ponds and streams.
* That is, a direct line from the point where the towns of Ashburnham, Gardner, and Winchendon unite, to a similar point between Gardner, Tem- pleton and Winchendon, is three miles, and nearly one hundred and forty rods. The real line, which is broken by many sharp angles, is almost twice as long.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
The town is well watered. The soil is adapted to retain moisture, and springs abound. The elevation of the land also has some tendency to induce atmospheric moisture. There is but one natural lake of considerable size, wholly within the town. This is situated towards the southwest, and is called Denison pond. It covers nearly one hun- dred acres. It is a beautiful sheet of pure, clear water, surrounded by a margin of clean sand and pebbles, and adorned near the shore with water lilies. A small stream, by gentle descent, flows into it from the north, and an outlet, called Cold brook, with only fall enough to carry off its surplus water, opens from the south side to Miller's river, about a hundred rods distant. When the water in the river is high, it flows back into the lake, and in former times, there was a passage where it flowed out again near the southwest corner. The bridge over this latter passage, was formerly called the "dry bridge," because it was dry except a few days in the year. For many years there has been no bridge, and the road has been so high that no water can pass it ; and the traveler would not suspect that water had ever had an outlet in that locality.
In the large tract of woodland stretching north from the Butler Mills, (now owned by Rice & Wyman,) to the Monomonauk lake, are two small bodies of water, one of which is called lake Jones ; but they are so small in surface, and so shallow, that they require no farther notice. But there is one other natural pond to the southwest of these, which is known to but a few of the inhabitants of the town, but which may hereafter become a place of frequent resort. It is about two hundred rods south by west from the house of Mr. Stephen Tolman, and nearly equidistant from the Murdock and Butler.Mills. A convenient way to reach it is found by following the Cheshire rail- road easterly of the Cemetery to the high sand bank. The little lake, enclosed by wooded hills, is just north by west of the bank. It is completely secluded from observation, and never seen except by those who stray from the haunts of men, when hunting, fishing, or searching for nature in her most hidden retreats. The hill, at its eastern end, rises abruptly about eighty feet, and is densely wooded. A stream comes in by several leaps, at the northeast corner. The outlet is from the west. It is sometimes called "Barren Hill lake," and by somc " Lake Martin." It is suggested that a more appropriate and beau- tiful name would be " Sylvan Lake."
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
At the northeast of the town lies Monomonauk* lake, about three miles in length ; but the greater part of this fine body of water is in the town of Rindge, N. H. Nearly one-third of its southern and nar- rower part, lies in Winchendon. At this end a dam raises the water about eleven feet above its natural level, and so enlarges the lake that it covers not far from twenty-six hundred acres. It is fed by a large stream which flows in from the north by the Converse Mills in Rindge, by several rivulets, and by numerous springs, which combine to render it a vast reservoir of water power.
This is the source of the north branch of Miller's river, which runs south by west through Spring Village, and by Murdock's mill, about two miles, when it is joined by the eastern branch which comes in from Ashburnham. The junction is near the middle of Baxter D. Whit- ney's pond, just northeast of Winchendon Village. Both branches supply about the same amount of water annually. The eastern branch is fed by the upper and lower Naumkeag lakes in Ashburnham, and by several streams. Mr. Amasa Whitney, Sr., who was for many years, the proprietor of the old woolen factory, used to say that the eastern branch supplied the most water in a year, but that the north- ern branch, coming from a large pond and reservoir, was the surest reliance in the dry season of the year. The river descends rapidly, and thus furnishes numerous mill-sites. There are at least a dozen fine water privileges in the course of four miles. . The river from its junction flows west to the railroad bridge ; thence south to the dam of Goodspeed & Wyman; thence west by south to Waterville and beyond ; thence in a northwesterly direction more than a mile, when receiving Stuart's brook from the north, it turns suddenly and runs south on nearly a dead level, about four miles. At this point it receives Otter river from Templeton, and thus enlarged, pursues its course in a southwesterly direction, leaving the boundary of the town about one-third of a mile north of its southwest corner. It never approaches nearer than a mile to the centre of the town, and in some places, is three miles distant. This river, if we count the length of both its branches, runs not far from fourteen miles within the limits of
* It is sometimes written Monomonac, or Monomonoc; but auk is an Indian termination signifying place ; and we are told by respectable authority that Monomonauk means the "place of islands," as the lake in its natural state had several islands which are now submerged, besides others now visible.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
the town, and is the occasion of much and varied industry, and the source of yearly increasing wealth.
Priest's brook or river comes in on the west, from Royalston, about two and a half miles from the New Hampshire line, and flows just inside the western border of the town, though inclining to the east, and enters Miller's river not far from the junction of the Otter, and also the affluent from Denison lake.
About two miles south of the centre of the town is Poor's pond. This was, probably, in the distant past, quite a body of water, but in the course of ages, it has been nearly filled by deposits made by two or three streams which flow into it on the east and north. The stream from the east is called " Potato brook," which name, according to tradition, had the following origin. A party of men working on the highway came to this brook about noon, and took their dinner con- sisting mainly of potatoes, washing them down with draughts from the flowing water. Half in earnest and half in sport, they christened it Potato brook. By means of a dam at the southwest extremity of the pond, a large body of water is raised in the winter; but in the sum- mer, nearly the whole bottom is covered with grass. The water flows off by a small stream in a southwest course, and joins Otter river, which for a short distance, skirts the southern boundary of the town.
Not far from a mile and a half to the southeast of Poor's pond is a large reservoir which lies in the extreme southern part of the town. This is fed by a brook coming in from the north. About a mile east is White's brook, which runs south and enters Otter river in Gardner. There are numerous other brooks and rivulets, but none of sufficient size to affect materially the configuration of the township, or to drive machinery. Perhaps an exception should be made in regard to the brook which comes from Rindge, and drives the Loud mill in Bullard- ville ; but this is included in Stuart's brook, of which it is a feeder. The valleys through which these various streams flow, afford many pleasant scenes that give a grateful variety to the landscape. Nearly twenty artificial ponds add beauty to the scenery while they subserve the uses of man.
HILLS .- The hills which give great diversity to the surface of the town, need not be described at length, since their location can be easily found on the map. But it may be truly said that Winchendon
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
belongs to the "hill country" of the State. For though it contains more of sand-plain than any of the neighboring towns, yet it is chiefly made up of quite elevated hills. One hill extending in every direc- tion from the centre, includes nearly a fifth part of the township. It extends about three miles from east to west, and averages more than two miles in width from north to south. Its highest point, just north- west of the meeting house in the centre is 348 feet above the dam of Goodspeed & Wyman, and 1408 feet above the level of the sea. From this elevation the prospect is quite extensive. Wachusett moun- tain is visible a little east of south, about fifteen miles distant ; and the grand Monadnauk rises in full view, about the same distance to. the north. At the west, some seventy or eighty miles, the long range of the Green mountains can be seen extending from the north part of Berkshire-Greylock-far up into Vermont. In the afternoon of a sunny day, when the shadows fall on the eastern slope of the moun- tains, the beholder, as his eye moves from point to point on this dis- tant range, is reminded of a line in Macaulay's "Farewell of the Huguenots to France"-
"The long waving line of the blue Pyrenees."
The north part of the town is occupied by another hill parallel to that which fills the centre. It rises from Spring Village on the east, and extends to Bullardville on the west, not far from three miles. Its summi:,-or rather its four or five high points,-are about one mile from the State line. These elevations are nearly equidistant, and the valleys between them run at an angle with the general direction of the hill considered as a whole. That is, it appears as if some moving body, ice or water, had struck the north side of the ancient summit, had scooped out several passages, in a direction from north west to southeast, and thus left these points higher than the rest, lying angle- wise to the east and west direction of the hill. The hill descends gently towards the Village. It is covered for the most part, with excellent farms. Viewed from the south, in summer time, when the grass lands and the fields of grain, and the wooded slopes, all clothed with verdure, combine to make up a varied landscape, the eye roves over it with great satisfaction.
A similar hill, though less in elevation and extent, sometimes called Raymond's hill, lies parallel to the two already described, at the
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
southern end of the town. This extends nearly two miles from east to west, and descends gently in every direction. The south side slopes into Templeton. It is almost entirely covered with good and well cultivated farming land. Between this and the central hill, there are two or three smooth, rounded elevations, cultivated to the top. Besides these, there is a line of hills running north and south, on the eastern, and also on the western border of the town, which tend greatly to diversify the surface. That on the east is divided by the eastern branch of Miller's river. There is also quite a high ridge between the two southern branches or horns of Monomonauk lake, called " Barren hill." The names of the various hills, as given in early times, are here copied from Mr. Hyde's History of Winchen- don. " Meeting House hill," just northwest from the central common ; " Prentiss hill," on the south side of Miller's river, and east of Water- ville, formerly occupied by Dea. Samuel Prentiss ; " Benjamin hill," between the last and the centre ; " Hale hill," a mile east of the cen- tre, formerly owned by Dea. Moses Hale. These four are parts of the large central hill. The large hill at the north end of the town, has no name, but the four elevations already described are called respectively, beginning at the east, and going west, " Crosby hill," " Payson hill," formerly owned by Col. John Boynton, and now in possession of Capt. E. Murdock ; " Boynton hill," owned in early times by Lieut. Joseph Boynton, and " Goodridge hill," once the property of Mr. David Goodridge. "Hyde hill" is north of Miller's river, and northeast of Waterville. Formerly the only road from Waterville to the Village was over or around this hill. " Lovejoy hill," " Poland hill," and " Tallow hill," are divisions of the great elevation in the northwest section of the town. The hill occupied by the Wood- burys and Raymonds in the east of the town, is called " Nineteenth hill." "Raymond hill" has already been noticed. "Birch hill" is south of Miller's river, near the junction of the Otter.
PLAINS AND MEADOWS .- There is a tract of land, in the easterly part of the town, on the road to Ashburnham, which is of a light, sandy make, and very level: Bullardville is on a small plain encir- cled by water and woods. Between Bullardville and Waterville, by either road, there is another section of the same general character, but much more extensive. Below where the Kilburn mill used to
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
stand, the plain gradually widens out towards the southern end of the town. This plain is between two and three miles in length, and aver- ages more than half a mile in width. The aggregate of these plains amounts to several hundred acres. Besides these there are many acres of meadow and intervale along the water courses, which materi- ally increase the proportion of level land in the town. The soil, whether hill, plain, valley or meadow, though not naturally rich, is susceptible of cultivation, and yields a fair return to well-directed labor.
FORESTS .- Originally the township was a dense and almost unbro- ken forest, full of game. In the northeast section, there were oak and chestnut trees to some extent. Beech was found in different parts. Maple and birch were more common. Graceful elms waved in scattered clusters. Most of the surface however, was covered with pine and other evergreen trees. In bringing the land under cultiva- tion in early times, trees enough were destroyed to make many for- tunes now, if they had been preserved. And here it may be observed that within a few years preceding the writing of this history, large pine trees, which were thrown down long ago, by tempests, have been dug from a swamp, in the westerly part of the town, and found to be in fine preservation.
FLORA .- The Botany of Winchendon is similar to that of other towns of the same latitude and elevation, in this section of the State. It may be stated, as a matter of interest to some, that the Linnœar Borealis, a very rare plant, is found in two or three localities in the town. It grows in at least two places on the east side of Poor's pond, near the road, and also on the land of Dea. Butler.
FAUNA .- In early times, all kinds of animals common to New England, roamed through the woods of Winchendon. Bears have been seen here since the opening of the present century. Wolves were not uncommon in the days of the early settlers. Deer were quite abundant. One of the town officers for many years after the organization, was a " deer reeve." The last deer seen wild in this town, was in 1866. This was evidently a wandering deer, who had lost his reckoning. It was seen in New Boston. The otter, the lynx, and the mink are still found, though not abundant. Beavers disap- peared long since.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
Among the rare birds are eagles, cranes, wood ducks and loons. One of the latter, a splendid bird, weighing sixteen pounds, was shot on Denison lake, a few years since. Its plumage was exceed- ingly beautiful.
In old times the town annually chose a " fish reeve." His duty was to see to the preservation of fish, and prevent their wanton destruc- tion. Our waters have always furnished much sport to the disciples of Isaak Walton. Horn pout are abundant. Suckers find their way up to the Monomonauk. Pickerel are plentiful and very fine. Trout are found by those who know their lurking-places, and have the knack of winning their confidence.
SECTION. 5-GEOLOGY.
Formerly large boulders of granite were scattered over the town- ship much more numerously than at present. These have been, to a great extent, split, and used for the under-pinning of buildings. The ledges, wherever they crop out are found to be composed of metamor- phic rock-and the larger part of the stones lying loose upon the sur- face, or under the soil, are composed of the same material. The town has no wealth of minerals and metals ; but quartz crystals are occa- sionally found, and in some places water impregnated with iron, issues from the ground. The principal spring of this kind, is at Spring Village, where a steady stream supplies many families with water for all household uses except washing. This spring was known to the Indians, and it has been in good repute ever since the white settlers came into this region. If a good hotel were opened in the vicinity, the water, in connection with conveniences for riding, hunting, boating and fishing, would doubtless attract much company, in the summer and autumn.
Probably a scientific observer would find indications of the ice period which formerly prevailed in New England. But there is an immense boulder, near the summit of the hill, in the centre of the town, which must have been transported thither by floating ice, rather than pushed up to that elevation by a glacier. The " lay of the land" in every direction, seems to forbid the conclusion that this rock was put in place by glacial action. There is a class of facts which point
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HISTORY OF WISCHENDOS.
to a period when the surface of the earth in this region, was covered with ice ; and there is another class of facts, which can be satisfacto- rily accounted for only by the theory of floating ice. In those oid days when the land was under water, even to the highest hill-tops. immense icebergs were borne by the waves over this section, and huge boulders as well as smaller rocks, which adhered to the moder side of the ice, were deposited, sometimes in regular order, but gener- ally in wild confusion.
It is probable that in the " gray eld." the water was thrown back by a natural dam near Goodspeed & Wyman's works, as far as che Butler mill, some two and a half miles. A similar obstruction near the Kilburn mill flooded the meadows as far up the river as Hydevile. And it is hardly possible to resist the conclusion, that the waters which once covered all the plains in the southwest part of the town, and the adjoining sections of Templeton and Royalston, were held in check by some natural elevation at South Royalston.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
CHAPTER II .- EXPLORATION AND SET- TLEMENT.
SECTION 1 .- EXPLORATION.
" A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees." PSALM 72 : 5.
In giving the annals of the early settlers, it will be necessary to go into details, and recite the doings of the Proprietors and early settlers at some length. And here the author would renew his acknowledg- . ment of indebtedness to Mr. Hyde and Dr. Whiton, for the aid they have rendered in making the early history of the town accessible. Nothing however, has been received on their authority. Every his- torical fact has been verified from the original authorities.
It is probable that hunters from the lower towns passed through the forests which then covered all our territory, in the early part of the last century ; and perhaps prior to that time ; but if so, they left no account of their wanderings for our information. In the time of " Lovewell's war," as it was called, from 1722 to 1725, scouts of sol- iliers traversed this region of country, but it is not certain that they crossed our boundaries. The first date which seems to connect a white man with Winchendon, is 1724, when Jabez Fairbanks led a scouting party from Groton, (then including Harvard,) to the Watatic mountains, Monomonauk pond, and the Pack, or little Monadnauk, cast of Peterborough, N. H. It is not known for certainty that Fair- banks and his party struck the east side of our great pond or lake, below the state line; but considering the lay of the land, and the direction of his route, it is more than probable. The Indians used the water of the " Yellow Spring" medicinally, and it is supposable that
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
they had paths or trails to the Spring, from east to west. We may suppose that they moved from Groton, along southward of Watatic, in a westerly course, until they reached the lower end of the lake, by which they were deflected northwards towards Peterborough, whence they passed over the New Ipswich or Temple hills, and so returned to their homes.
During the peace which prevailed for the most part, between 1725 and 1744, many settlements were made in the neighborhood, as in Fitch- burg, Westminster, Athol, Swansey, Keene, Peterborough and New Ipswich ; but for some years later, the territory now comprising the towns of Ashburnham, Gardner, Royalston, Winchendon, Fitzwilliam, Rindge and Jaffrey, remained an almost unbroken wilderness.
In 1735 this township of land was granted by the colony of Massa- chusetts, to certain citizens of Ipswich, in Essex county. The proceed- ings of the General Court, making the grant, are inserted here, as found in the Records of the Original Proprietors of Ipswich Canada.
" At a Great and General Court, in and for His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, begun and held in Boston, on Wed- nesday, the twenty-eighth day of May, 1735, and continued by several adjournments to Wednesday, the nineteenth of November following,
In the House of Representatives, June 10, 1735, in answer to the peti- tion of Lieut. Abraham Tilton and others,
Voted, That a Tract of Land of the contents of six miles square, be laid out in a suitable place in the western part of this Province, and that the whole of the Town be laid out into sixty-three shares ; one of which to be for the first settled minister, one for the use of the ministry, and one for the school ; and that on the other sixty shares there be sixty admitted ; and in the ad- mission thereof preference to be given to the Petitioners, and such as are the descendants of the officers and soldiers who served in the expedition to Can- ada in the year 1690, viz : a Tract of Land for a Township to the said Abraham Tilton and others. And inasmuch as the officers and soldiers (who served in that expedition) were very great sufferers, and underwent urcom- mon hardships,
Voted, that this Province be at the whole charge of laying said Township in a regular manner, and of admitting the settlers; that the settlers or Gran- tees hereby are obliged to bring forward the settlement of said Township in as regular and defensible a manner as the situation and circumstances of the place will admit of, and that in the following manner, viz : That they be on the granted premises, and have each of them a house of eighteen feet square
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
and seven feet stud at the least ; That each Right or Grant have six acres of land brought to, ploughed or brought to English grass, and fitted for mow- ing : that they settle in the plantation or township a learned and ortho- dox Minister, and build a convenient Meeting-house for the public worship of God in the township : the whole of these conditions to be duly complied with within five years from the confirmation of the Plat. And that Capt. John Hobson and Capt. John Choate, with such as the Honorable Board shall appoint, be a Committee for laying out the Township hereby granted to Abraham Tilton and others, and admitting the settlers as aforesaid, who shall take bond of each grantee to the value of twenty pounds to the Province Treasurer for the respective grantees' fulfilment of the conditions of their grant. Each lot as aforesaid to be entitled to, and draw future divisions in equal proportions in the township or plantation : and that the Committee return the Plat of the said township to the Court, within twelve months for confirmation, as also the list of the names of the grantees, and their place of residence, into the Secretary's office, that so the same may be examined and regulated by a Committee that may be hereafter appointed by this Court. And further, it is hereby ordered, that in case any of the grantees shall neglect or delay to fulfil the terms of the grant, such person or persons shall forfeit to the Province all his or their right and interest in the land hereby granted.
Sent up for concurrence,
J. QUINCY, Speaker.
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