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 5
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John Haris, 63, 31, 13
Samuel Ingalls,
159, 119, 46
Nathaniel Clark 27. 10, 84
Abram Perkens, 28, 66, 67
John Thomson, 58, 143, 144
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
traversed in every direction ; and the way was opened for settlers. And now, on the 29th of January, 1752, the Proprietors took a deci- sive step, which led to actual results. They voted £100, " old tenor," equivalent to about forty-four silver dollars, to each one of the first ten men who should by the first of November next, build a dwelling- house, and settle a family in the township. The result was, ten fami- lies erected log houses, and planted themselves here, this season, some of whom stood their ground through the perils of the next French and Indian war, which soon began to rage. The following extract from the Proprietors' Book will be read with interest, as it shows who were engaged in the actual settlement.
" March 10, 1752. Thomas Brown sent his claim to be received for one of the first settlers. 1.
Edward Eveleth enters his claim for two of the first set- tling families. 2.
16 Ezekiel Jewett enters his claim for one of the first settlers. 1. 31, The Hon. Thomas Berry put in his claim for two settling families. 2. Thomas Brown desires the privilege of being admitted for two more settling rights. 2.
April 4,
" 18, Col. Tho. Berry claims a privilege for one more of the first settling families. 1.
" 23, Edward Eveleth desires the privilege for one more set- tling family." 1.
The next year, 1753, the settlers put up a small frame of a meet- ing-house, a few rods south of the old burying ground, this spot hav- ing been originally selected as the centre. That frame was never occupied for public worship, nor even enclosed ; but was soon sold, on conviction that the present centre common-on " the hill"-was a better site for a meeting-house and training field. But let it be recorded to their honor, that the first ten families, the year after they had built log cabins for themselves, undertook to erect a house of God.
The names of the first settlers will be read with increasing interest as the years of their pioneer labors recede into the past. The follow- ing list, says Dr. Whiton, is nearly correct, and in relation to most of them, certainly so. By far the most prominent man among them, was the Hon. Thomas Berry, one of the leading citizens of Ipswich, who settled on the place formerly belonging to Stephen Tolman, and now owned by Samuel Woodbury, resided there a portion of each of the
Day House, 1752.
45
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
two or three subsequent years, and then returned to Ipswich, where he died, August 12, 1756. He was thus a resident, though not legally an inhabitant of the town. Lieut. Tilton was also here, at times, and did much in effecting the settlement. Another prominent man, of considerable wealth and influence, who though he never became a resident, was a large landholder, was active in promoting the settle- ment, and occasionally visited his lands here, was Dr. Joseph Man- ning of Ipswich. His name is introduced for the sake of an amusing anecdote which occurred on one of his visits, and which will be related in connection with a name soon to be mentioned. Richard Day was a permanent settler, and built the house now owned by Mr. Josiah Dunn, more than a hundred and sixteen years since [1752]. He was the first deacon of the church, and was killed by the fall of a tree, many years afterwards. He was a useful man, and his decease was much lamented.
Thomas Wilder, supposed to have been a brother of the Hon. Abel Wilder, was a respectable man, but left the place soon, probably on account of the war.
Abijah Smith was a man of influence. He soon left, but came back after the war.
Gabriel Pushey, or Pouchey, was a French refugee from Novs Scotia or Cape Breton, lived in a fortified house on the south side of the common, and at his death, left a widow who survived to extreme old age. Some of her descendants of the seventh generation, now reside in the town. We now come to the anecdote of Dr. Manning. . It is told of the old lady, then young however, that having received of the Dr., a cake of chocolate, with the direction to prepare it for him against his return to dinner, and being unwilling to acknowledge her ignorance of the article, she came to the sage conclusion that it was to be boiled with pork and potatoes. After some time, exploring the din ner pot with a fork, to see if the cake was done, she was astonished at its disappearance.
William Holt lived on or near the common, where his daughter Mary was born, Nov. 15, 1763. She was the first child born in town, was afterwards known as Mrs. Bosworth, lived on the hill in the east- ern edge of Royalston, just beyond the Howard saw-mill, and died in
46
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
1847. According to tradition, there were but six women resident in the town ; of course some of the first settlers were unmarried men.
John Darling was probably another of the ten, and lived on the Jason Keith farm.
William Moffat settled, it is believed, in the west part of the town.
Eight of the ten have now been named. From 1752 to 1755, Ben- jamin Goodridge, Thomas Jewett, Joshua Priest, David Wilder, Ben- oni Boynton, Nathaniel Burnham, John Moffat and John Brown, were added to the number. Two of these were among the original ten, but which of them is not now known. Some of them left during the war, but soon returned.
The first born male child in the place, was Nathan Pushey, who on this account, received from the Proprietors, when he arrived at the age of twenty-one, the donation of a lot of land, and soon after died in the revolutionary war.
In this connection, we may fix some of the first habitations of the original settlers. There were, as appears from the Records, and according to tradition, several block-houses or buildings made of hewn logs, which were occupied as garrisons or forts. One of these was on the plain near the mill in Bullardville. Another in which Mary Holt, the eldest child of the town, was born, stood near the south end of the old Meeting-house Common. This was occupied, says Mr. Hyde, by Dea. Moses Hale, as a dwelling for sometime before removing into his own dwelling-house. There was another near the cast line of the farm of Mr. Jacob Hale, senior, which he occupied as a dwelling-house, within the memory of persons now living, [1868.] .
A fourth was some twenty rods east of Tallow Hill school-house, near the house where the late venerable Mrs. Eddy lived. A fifth was near the spot where Mr. Samuel Woodbury now resides ; and still another not far from the house now occupied by Mr. William Willoby. One of the best houses erected in the early times was built about 1752, by Dea. Richard Day. It still stands on the high ground a little west of the south end of the Common. It is a large two story house, and by care, may be occupied by generations yet to come. It was at one time owned by Rev. Mr. Brown, the second minister of the town ; and at subsequent periods has been in the possession of Rev. Messrs. Malachi Bullard, John Storrs, and B. F. Clarke; now
47
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
occupied by Mr. Dunn. About the same time, a house was built on the spot now covered by the residence of Charles J. Rice, Esq. This was occupied as a tavern for many years, being convenient for towns- men and travelers, at the southcast corner of the Common. This house was kept successively by Matthew Knight, Samuel Griggs, Francis Bridge, Bemsley Lord, Joshua Gale, Luther Stimson, James McElwain and Phinehas Whitney. There was another house occu- pied by James Mansfield, near the old burying ground. Gabriel Pouchey, or Pushey, dwelt in a house near the southwest of the Com- mon. Col. Thomas Berry put up a house where Dea. Desire Tolman afterwards lived.
On the 24th of October, 1753, the first Proprietors' meeting was held within the township, at the house of Richard Day, and adjourned to the next day, when it was voted to grant the meeting-house frame to Col Berry, on condition that he would furnish a room in his house for religious meetings.
The war alarm induced the settlers to grant £300 old tenor, for the purpose of fortifying some of the houses ; at the same time a sum of money was raised to procure some supply of preaching during the ensuing winter. The proceedings of the meeting held at the house of Richard Day, Oct. 31, 1754, were as follows :
" Voted, That something further shall be done in fortifying the township.
Voted, That the sum of three hundred pounds, old tenor,* be raised in order to fortify the township : fifty pounds of which is to fortify Mr. Darling's house, and fifty pounds to fortify Mr. Boynton's house, and one hundred pounds toward defraying the ace't, of fortifying Thomas Jewett's house.
Voted, That Col. Thomas Berry's house shall be fortified, and that one hundred pounds, old tenor, be allowed therefor, the said Berry to pay what farther sum shall be needed to complete the garrison, which he agreed to.
Voted, That Col. Berry, Capt. Goodridge, and Mr. Sinith be a committee to see that the garrisons are completed."
" The spring of 1755, " says Dr. Whiton, " found the people in their fortified houses, of which there were some half dozen, as Berry's, Jewett's, Darling's, Boynton's, and Pushey's ; two of the number so well strengthened, as to be called forts. About planting time the set-
* £100 old tenor was equal to £13, 6, 8, lawful money, and $44.45 federal money.
48
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
tlers had certain proofs that Indians with hostile purpose were trar- ersing the woods. Their perils will be best learned from their Peti- tion, dated June 7, 1755, to the government of Massachusetts for protection." It is here given verbatim, a copy having been obligingly furnished by Frederic Kidder, Esq. of Boston, as found in the ancient records of the Commonwealth.
" PETITION OF IPSWICH CANADA.
To his Excelloncy William Shirley, Esq., Captain General and Governor- in-Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay ; to the Honorable, his Majesty,s Council, and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled ; the Petition of the inhabitants of the place called Ipswich Canada, in the County of Worcester, hereby sheweth, that there are- eight families of us now living in said plantation, which is at least eighteen miles from Lunenburg, the nearest place that is settled, or that can possibly afford us any help in case of an attack by the Indian enemy, which we are. in daily fear of ; and although the Proprietors of said plantation did in Oct. last, build two good and sufficient forts; yet we being poor and but new beginning in a very thick wooden country, and having all our provision te buy and bring from Lunenburg, Lancaster, or Groton, &c., whereby it becomes impossible for us to maintain our families and keep the forts ; unless we are protected, must of necessity leave the place and go off, which we are exceedingly unwilling to do, and give ground to the enemy, having laid our all the small substance we had here, and have no where to go for refuge- if we must leave our crops now on the ground, we and our families will be finally undone. We are sensible that Indians are about us, for we hear then: shoot, especially on the 28th of May we heard no less than seven guns shot in the woods above us. We scouted the next day, but made no discovery. We are all now shut up in the forts, and know not how soon we shall be- leset or destroyed. Therefore your Petitioners humbly pray your Excel- leney and Honors would take our distressed case into your wise and com- passionate consideration, and grant us relief and protection, as in your great wisdom and goodness shall seem meet. And your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.
(Sigued, )
GABRIEL PUSHEY, DAVID WILDER,
RICHARD DAY, JOHN BROWN,
THOMAS JEWETT,! WILLIAM HOLT, JOLLY MOFFET,
NATHANIEL BLODGET, JOSHUA PRIESt,
WILLIAM MOFFET."
49
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
In the words of Dr. Whiton, " this simple and artless recital sets forth more impressively than any studied elegance, the fear and dis- tress which existed among the little band who dwelt at the time in Winchendon, a fear showed by all the neighboring settlements ; the people of Athol often went armed to public worship, and their pastor, Rev. Mr. Humphrey, who had been ordained in that place, 1750, carried his gun in times of alarm into his pulpit, placing it where he could lay his hand on it in a moment."
There is some traditionary evidence that the earnest petition of the feeble company of settlers for governmental protection, was not unheeded. A very aged man who died some years ago in Stoddard, N. H., used to relate, that he and a few other soldiers were for a time stationed at Winchendon ; and that he once went on a scout through the woods between Ashburnham and Athol, probably following pretty nearly the course of Miller's river, and making the Pushey house their headquarters. One of these soldiers was named Robert Bradish, who afterwards became a settler, and the gun which he carried, is now in existence, and owned by Mr. Luke Rice. But no life was lost in Winchendon, and not even a drop of blood was shed, in consequence of Indian raids.
In 1758 we come to an important event, not only to the town, but especially to Winchendon Village. The Proprietors offered one hun- dred and twenty dollars and a lot of land, to the person or persons who should build a grist-mill in the township, keep it in repair, and grind for lawful toll for ten years. The next year, 1759, Bartholo- mew Pearson built the mill in the Village, a work which the people hailed with joy, and deemed a great acquisition, as it saved the hard labor of conveying their grain for grinding, on roads winding among roots and rocks, and over pole-bridges to other towns.
From 1755 to 1761, the following persons were added to the num- ber of settlers, viz, Thomas Brown, Jacob Gould, Charles Tuttle, Henry Hodgkins, William Hodgkins, Samuel Craig, Philip Goodridge, David Poor, Joseph Fuller, Samuel Reed, Samuel Darling, Silas Darling and Timothy Darling. Some of these became permanent residents.
From the Records, dated November 1, 1759, we learn that the Proprietors voted, " That the Surveyors already chosen, John Moffat,
50
HISTORY OF WINCHENDOK.
Jacob Gould and Richard Day, are hereby ordered to build a bridge in said township over Miller's River, on the county road to Royalshire, now Royalston, out of the money already granted by the Proprietors, according to their best skill and judgment." This bridge was beyond Waterville. In 1762, June 30, the Proprietors voted, " That sixt y days highways' work shall be done in building a bridge over the river, by Mr. Pearson's mill place." This was about ten rods below where the bridge now stands, near Goodspeed & Wyman's establishment.
Before coming to the organization of the town, there is one more extract to be made from the Proprietors' Book, which, on account of its importance, will be transcribed at length. It is as follows :
" Sept. 22, 1761. Voted, That the Proprietors will build a meeting house in the township of Ipswich Canada.
Voted, That the said meeting house shall be 35 feet wide, and 45 feet long, and the length of the posts to be 22 or 23 feet.
Voted and chose Benjamin Goodridge, Abijah Smith and Philip Good- ridge, a committee to let out the meeting house.
Voted, That the committee be empowered to see that the said meeting house be hewed, framed and raised, the outside boarded, shingled and clap- boarded, window sashes, and glass put up, door heads and doors be made, the lower floor be laid, and the frame be underpinned with convenient stones.
Voted, That the said meeting house shall be completed as aforesaid by the last day of September, 1762.
Voted, That the meetings be held in Ipswich Canada for the future."
In pursuance of this object another meeting was held next year, as follows :
" At a legal meeting of the Proprietors of Ipswich Canada, at the house of Mr. Richard Day, inn-holder at Ipswich Canada, June 30, 1762,
Voted, and chose Messrs. Benjamin Goodridge, Richard Day and Barthol- omew Parsons, to be a committee to view and stake out a meeting house plot."
The committee made the following report of their doings.
" Laid out five acres of land for a meeting house, training field and bury- ing yard, on the Northwest corner of the lot No. 1, in the South division, beginning at the Northwest corner bound, running south 48 rods, on line of said lot, then easterly 16} rods, then running northerly a parallel line with the West line 48 rods, and then to the place where we began.
BENJAMIN GOODRIDGE, BARTHOLOMEW PARSONS, RICHARD DAY."
51
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
On the reception of this Report the meeting voted, " That the Pro prietors will accept the land laid out by the committee, on lot No. 1, South division, for the use of the meeting-house, training field and burying yard-there being reference made on said lot for that pur- pose by the Propriety at their meeting on the 27th of Oct., A. D. 1737-notwithstanding a former vote passed by the Proprietors at their meeting held Nov. 1, 1759, to accept of the report of the com- mittee to set the meeting-house on lot No. 30, finding that place not accommodable. And the committee chosen to build said meeting- house, to raise the house on the plot where they judge most convenient."
The war being over, people began to flock in more rapidly. The Rev. Daniel Stimpson, and his brothers, Jonathan and Ephraim Stimp- son, Abel Wilder, Daniel Goodridge, David Goodridge, Jeremiah Stuart, and Reuben Wyman, were added in 1762. Some of these, but not all of them, were from Ipswich. A meeting-house was built, and Rev. Mr. Stimpson was settled. This last event was on the 15th of December, 1762. The two preceding summers had been seasons of excessive heat and drought, cutting short the crops. Tradition says that the milk for the ordination puddings was brought in jugs from Leominster, the township having but four cows, and these at this wintry time, not affording a supply adequate to the occasion.
Having brought the story of the early settlers down to the year 1763, when measures were taken to organize a town by applying to the General Court for an act of incorporation, it is interesting to see how the formation of this little settlement was connected with general history. England and France contended for the mastery of North America, at intervals, for more than a century, and the history of the colonies, and almost every town in the colonies, was mixed up with the contentions of those transatlantic nations. The fortunes of Winchen- don were involved in the wars of those times. Its origin was the expe- dition of 1690. The colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York combined to capture the Gibraltar of America. The Bay Col- ony fitted out a fleet, under the command of Sir William Phipps, while the other colonies sent an army. Their forces were to combine in an attack on Quebec, by land and water. The scheme failed, but . not its consequences, one of which was the grant of territory compos- ing this township, and its final settlement. The people of Ipswich
52
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
sent its quota of men on this expedition, and more than forty years later, the survivors of these heroes, and the heirs of those who had died during the long interval, petitioned the General Court for & grant of land, as a partial compensation of their losses and sufferings. The petition was granted, and in due time, the grant was settled by the people of Ipswich.
But there could be no settlement for many years, on account of the unsettled condition of the frontier. Queen Anne's wars, in her brief reign, and Lovewell's war in 1725, retarded settlements in places nearer the Atlantic towns than this wild region. An effort was made to begina settlement, as already related, in 1735-42, but very little progress was made, when the war of 1744-48, sometimes called " King George's war," or the " old French and Indian war," put an end to all attempts at settlement. There was no meeting of the Proprietors from 1742 to 1751, when new measures were taken to bring in set- tlers. A few began to cut an opening in the forest in 1752, in which year eight or ten men gained a foothold. But the war of 1754-63, commonly called the "last French and Indian war," retarded the growth of the settlement. Some left the place, while others remained in garrison. From 1753 to 1762, only about twenty-two or three men had joined the company as owners or settlers. Several of these never gained a legal residence, and several of the remainder departed never to return.
At length in 1759, Wolfe captured Quebec, and the conquest of North America was secured, though peace was not declared till 1763. Perhaps there were ten or twelve families here in 1761, when the fighting in the northern colonies was over; from which time the set- tlers came in more rapidly. By 1764, when the town was incorpora- ted, twenty-one men, most of them probably at the head of families, had joined themselves to the earlier settlers who still remained on the ground. The names of all the men who had effected a settlement here by the close of 1764 are here inserted in the order of the date of their settlement. It must not be forgotten however that some of the men herein named had already left the place, while others had probably never become settlers in the proper sense of the word, but were pro- prietors, and interested in the gathering of a township. Some were here a year or two before the coming of their families. The list with the dates must be taken as an approximation to the true state of the facts.
53
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
FIRST SETTLERS.
+ Richard Day, 1753, | + David Poor, 1758,
* + Thomas Wilder,
Samuel Hunt, --
· + * Abijah Smith,
Francis Goodhue,
+ Benjamin Goodridge,
Joseph Fuller,
+ William Moffat,
Daniel Goodridge ‹‹
William Holt,
David Goodridge,
* Thomas Berry, 1754,
* Abraham Tilton,
William Brown, 1759,
* Thomas Manning,
Mr. Harvey was here preaching,
* Thomas Jewett,
Ebenezer Sherwin, or Sherry,-
Joshua Priest,
6€
Samuel Titus, 1761,
John Darling,
Timothy Darling,
David Wilder,
Rev. Daniel Stimson, 1762,
Benoni Boynton.
Jonathan Stimson,
Nathaniel Blodget,
Ephraim Stimson,
Thomas Brown, 1755,
t John Moffatt,
Bartholomew Pearson,
Jacob Gould,
Jeremiah Stuart,
Ephraim Boynton, 66
* Charles Tuttle,
1756,
+ Henry Hodgkins,
1757,
t Joseph Tuttle,
Daniel Bixby,
Theophilus Mansfield, 1764,
+ Abiathar Houghton,
Seth Oaks,
+ John Brown,
William Oaks,
Silas Whitney,
Stephen Choate,
Nathan Pouchey, ..
Nathaniel Bixby,
Barzillai Willard,
Amos Spring,
William Hodgkins,
Jonathan Foster,
John Gibson,
SECTION 3 .- CONTRAST BETWEEN 1764 AND 1864.
What mighty changes have been wrought during a single century ! Then the few inhabitants within the limits of this town, belonged to a colony of Great Britain. All writs and warrants ran in the king's name. George III. had been on the throne less than four years. The
* Those marked thus were owners of land, and engaged in the settlement, though some of them were not actual settlers. Some of them, after remain- ing for a time, left never to return. Besides there is an uncertainty about the exact year of the coming of a few. Thirty or more of these men, the larger part of them having families, were here at the time of the first town meeting. There is considerable diversity in spelling the names. Oaks is written Oak ; Craig, Crag .; Burnham, Burnam; Pouchey, Pushey : Stimson, Stimpson, &c.
These men were in the place on the 25th of October, 1757.
Abel Wilder 66
+ * Nathaniel Burnam,
Reuben Wyman,
Thomas Sweetland, 1763,
* Samuel Craig.
Gabriel Pouchey, 1758,
+ Samuel Reed,
John Dansmore,
54
HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
thirteen American colonies were sparsely peopled except near the coast. Behind them was the wilderness, filled with wild beasts and savage men. Behind these, on the north and west, French colonies, settlements and military posts stretched from the gulf of St. Lawrence, by Niag- ara, and Pittsburg, to New Orleans. Indians and Spaniards bounded the English settlements on the South. Our fathers were hemmed in by barbarous and civilized enemies on either side except the sea, across which the mother country reached her strong hand for the pur- pose of repression rather than of help. The colonists were poor. Their farms were mere openings in the forest. Their villages were separated by intervening woods, over which the meeting-houses could be seen, from hill-top to hill-top. Their houses were either log cabins, or small, rude, unpainted specimens of rustic architecture, with here and there a residence of higher pretensions. There were no manufac- tures except those wrought by female fingers, on wheels and looms, by the domestic fireside. The British Parliament would not permit, if able to prevent, the making of even a " hob-nail" in the colonies. Our fathers were in a state of dependence, and it was the intention of England to keep them dependent as long as possible, and in the mean- time, make them tributary to her wealth and glory.
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